Re: transformations of 'source code'

["Joe Moore" <joemoore@iegrec.org>]

Steve Langasek said:
> On Fri, Mar 07, 2003 at 05:36:57PM -0500, Joe Moore wrote:
>> I think the key there is _useful_ source.  Obfuscated forms that can
>> not be turned back into useful source should not be allowed.  Encypted
>> forms (if the recipient doesn't have the key) don't give useful
>> source.
>
> Useful to whom?  If you say "useful", what stops someone from suing
> because "it's not useful to me: it's written in C and I don't understand
> C"?

Currently, the GPL requires the "preferred form for modification", but I
haven't read about any lawsuits over "I prefer to write Python code rather
than C".  Or to force the addition of emacs formatting hints (when the
author prefers vi)

Useful source means source that a programmer can modify comfortably.  It's
not as strict as "preferred form for modification", but it matches (what I
see as) the intent behind that clause.  It's any form that can easily
communicate the Software to its recipients.

--Joe