Re: Social Contract GR's Affect on sarge
On Fri, 30 Apr 2004 15:09:18 -0400, Michael Poole <mdpoole@troilus.org> said:
> Stephen Ryan writes:
>> On Thu, 2004-04-29 at 16:44, Michael Poole wrote:
>>> Stephen Ryan writes:
>>> >> The entire point of the recent GR was that some Debian
>>> >> developers and users use "software" as the rest of the world
>>> >> uses the word, and exclude things like fonts, images, or
>>> >> statistical data.
>>> >
>>> > I'm with Branden on this one: *every* single person arguing for
>>> > a more restricted definition of software is a "W4ReZ d00d".
>>>
>>> That is very offensive. Please retract your accusation or provide
>>> some basis to support it.
>>
>> Fair enough; if you provide a reason to even bring up the subject
>> of distinguishing "code" from "data" in the first place, I'll
>> retract, with the humblest apologies I can muster.
> I want to distinguish between software and other data because I
> prefer to use English in a precise way, and because I think that is
There is wide support for software being defined as !hardware,
and that can make for a pretty precise use of the language as well.
> consistent with the broader usage[1]. [1]- See, for example,
> http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-doc.html
I prefer
Freedoms for Documentation
Analogous to the software program freedoms, we need to articulate the freedoms
required for the subset of software called documentation.
1. The freedom to read the text, for any purpose.
2. The freedom to study how the text is written, and adapt it to your needs.
Access to the text in the preferred form for modification is a precondition
for this. This includes the ability to modify the work to fit in low memory
situations, reference cards, PDA's, embedded devices, etc.
3. Freedom to reformat the document into a preferred format or medium
(converting to braille, or speech, or hardcopy, or postscript, etc).
4. The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help your neighbor.
5. The freedom to improve the text, and release your improvements to the
public, so that the whole community benefits. Access to the preferred form
for modification is a precondition for this. For program documentation,
this implies being able to change the documentation to reflect the changes
in the program.
6. Freedom to translate the text into any other language.
7. The freedom to keep your modifications, or even your possession of a copy
of the text, confidential.
There is some concern that the requirements to list the authors of the
modification on the title page and the history sections of the GFDL covered
work (especially since these sections are otherwise invariant) appear to
prohibit anonymous modifications to a document. (This may fail the Dissident
Test).
(http://people.debian.org/~srivasta/Position_Statement.xhtml).
manoj
--
"Insanity is the exception in individuals. In groups, parties,
people, and times, it is the rule." Nietzche
Manoj Srivastava <srivasta@debian.org> <http://www.debian.org/%7Esrivasta/>
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