On Mon, Apr 28, 2003 at 05:09:05PM -0700, Alex Romosan wrote:
> Mark Rafn <dagon@dagon.net> writes:
>
> > Sure, but for some of us, _software_ is a very broad category. For
> > me, it includes all works which can be encoded as a stream of bits.
>
> wow, what can i say?! everything is software!? an infinite number of
> monkeys, at an infinite number of keyboards will eventually define all
> that is software... the only problem is some bit streams are more
> meaningful than others.
>
> i wouldn't want to live in your world.
Let me go out on a philosophical limb here and go from some more
stable premises.
Axiom: All Debian Developers agree with the Debian Social Contract.
Fact 1; Debian's social contract states in section 1.
1. Debian Will Remain 100% Free Software
We promise to keep the Debian GNU/Linux Distribution entirely
free software. As there are many definitions of free software,
we include the guidelines we use to determine if software is
"free" below. [...]
Consider case 1: Documentation is not software.
1A. Documentation is part of the Debian GNU/Linux Distribution.
1B. If the Debian GNU/Linux Distribution contains non-software, it cannot
be comprised entirely of free software.
Therefore:
1C. Debian must purge non-software from the Distribution.
Consider case 2: Documentation is equivalent to software.
2A. Documentation cum software is part of the Debian GNU/Linux
Distribution.
2B. Debian GNU/Linux has a set of guidelines for free software.
2C. Debian GNU/Linux must not contain non-free software, as we can see
from 1C.
Therefore:
2D. Debian GNU/Linux must not contain non-free documentation cum
software.
Feel free to propose that we rip out all documentation from the
distribution and place it in contrib or non-free, as appropriate.
Simon