Re: Whether remotely running software is considered "software" for Debian.
"Dr. Bas Wijnen" <wijnen@debian.org> writes:
> What seems to be the dispute is whether software that runs on a remote
> system is still "software" for the purpose of our rules.
That is not in dispute, it seems to me. The rules of the Debian Project
can only bind what the Debian Project does.
The Debian Project could moot rules about what the project will do with
regard to software that runs on a remote system. While there are trends,
I don't think such rules exist yet, or if they do you haven't shown us
what rules you're referring to.
The Debian Project does have rules about software *in Debian*, as
described in, for example, our Social Contract.
I hope we can agree that the Social Contract's rules about software in
Debian do not have any power to restrict software running on remote
systems (unless they also get their software from Debian).
> I think [software that runs on a remote system] is [software for the
> purpose of the Debian Project's rules], especially considering the
> trend that almost everything is being moved into the cloud.
Which of the Debian Project's rules are you referring to there? Can you
show from where in those rules you draw this interpretation?
> I believe Debian's philosophy should be that software running remotely
> on behalf of the user should be considered part of the system
By that philosophy, if person Foo connects to a system I am operating on
the internet, the rules person Foo has chosen to accept are also binding
on me? Even if I do not accept those rules?
If not, please explain where that interpretation of your statement is
inaccurate.
> It seems clear to me that a program which is intended to interact with
> server software does indeed require that server software to function.
> So if there is no free implementation of the server, then the client
> cannot be in main.
Maybe so, but that appears to be a different position: that the Debian
Project's rules apply to software in Debian which interacts with remote
systems.
That's very different from stating that the remote system's software is
also part of Debian and therefore subject to the Debian Project's rules.
Please help by clarifying which of those positions you hold.
--
\ “One time I went to a drive-in in a cab. The movie cost me |
`\ ninety-five dollars.” —Steven Wright |
_o__) |
Ben Finney
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