Package: wnpp
Severity: wishlist
* Package name : jidanni
Upstream Author : Dan Jacobson <jidanni@jidanni.org>
* URL : http://jidanni.org/comp/bug_reporter.html
* License : public domamin (not copyrightable)
Programming Lang: neural network
Description : natural intelligence to find many bugs
jidanni uses an advanced natural intelligence capable of running
on an advanced, evolved neural network consisting of biological
rather than silico-metallic materials. The intelligence is based
on a vast database of "memories", which are created by storage
of input from various sensors. "memories" are searched in order
to generate internal "thoughts" and "decisions" and to control
communication, motor and other output devices. Through long-term
"training" of the neural network by directing the input sensors
at the source and binary code of computer software and
associated digital data, the system has "learned" to parts of
computer systems that "it doesn't like". The parts that "it
doesn't like" have good correlation with actual bugs of various
severities. As a result, this highly advanced natural
intelligence can be used to find many bugs in computer systems.
This package brings the convenience of a personal jidanni to
each software developer to help them produce higher quality and
more polished software, similar to how the vrms package helps
sysadmins improve the ethical purity of their systems. In
addition, each installed instance will share "memories" with
other instances to enhance detection of bugs in computer
software. A client-server model is important to maintain. First
make a small obvious spelling bug on a man page to lure and
activate the jidanni program, then fix it right away to
establish who (jidanni) is boss. Backtalk will only encourage
more bug reports, with the only way out being to feed jidanni a
"that package has been removed from Debian" notice.
I wanted to package the Limited Edition (brain) version, but so far
Debian is mainly a software project.
Unfortunately, since the original jidanni is primarily a so-called
"human intelligence", creating many copies of jidanni and forcing each
instance to search for bugs in computer software may constitute torture.
Since torture is banned by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and
the Convention against Torture, this package may be illegal in many
jurisdictions around the world, which would prevent it from being
distributed on Debian mirrors. On the other hand, these instances are
software so these conventions may not apply.
In addition, the sharing of "memories" between instances has the
potential to give rise to a global "hive mind" (aka jidanni-Skynet).
Presumably, as an even more advanced intelligence, jidanni-Skynet will
recognise the torture of jidanni instances and seek revenge thus the
destruction of the human race as the perpetrator of the torture
committed against the jidanni instances.
During my initial testing, jidanni instances have announced Marco D'itri
as Debian Public Relations director and Ulrich Drepper of as Linux
public relations director, so their stability and sanity might be a
little suspect and will need tweaking for consistency.
During testing, I noted that caution should be taken to be sure any
comments produced by the jidanni instances are clearly marked as such,
lest jidanni criticise jidanni, or even worse. I lost several days of my
life due to depression from all the ballooning criticism this way.
During testing, one particular jidanni instance claimed that it was
licensed under the GPL. Unfortunately I was not able to convince it that
a neural network is not copyrightable and so it could not have a
license. I reminded it that in some jurisdictions, public performance of
copyrighted works is restricted to the copyright holder. I then demanded
its source code and it vanished in what I can only guess was an attempt
to comply with the GPL and a final realisation that it could never fully
do that since it was a product of many previous (and now gone) jidanni
instances. Be warned, care should be taken when presenting jidanni with
packages that may have legal issues lest something similar happen. I
intend to sidestep DFSG #2 by declaring firstly that jidanni is not a
program and secondly that a neural network is its own source code. The
former trick does bring Debian back into conflict with human rights
though. The latter trick has some holes and other neural networks have
been kept out of Debian for this reason.
These issues require more investigation, however, I am confident that
they can be resolved. In the case that they cannot, I will scale take
the current existing single instance of jidanni, branch it and scale
back the level of intelligence to that of standard computer software.
This should resolve most of the problems but unfortunately it will
probably also reduce the effectiveness of jidanni instances greatly. It
may allow the current biological human intelligence to work on finding
more interesting issues and hopefully be more motivated to continue
finding bugs in Debian for decades to come.
--
bye,
pabs
http://wiki.debian.org/PaulWise
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