Re: Inconsistencies in our approach
Sergey V. Spiridonov said:
> Branden Robinson wrote:
>
>> After all, what utility would this distinction serve beyond providing
>> one a means of routing around the DFSG's inconvenient restrictions?
>
> Program (code) is not of great value outside computer, except examples
> which usually belong to the documentation.
This is not true: source code is intended for human consumption at least
as much as for machines.
> I will not buy a book with
> printed source code of Linux kernel, even if it will be very cheap :)
But you would buy a book like Linux Undercover, with printed man pages?
Would you not buy a book with the source of PGP 2.6? Tens of thousands of
people did so...
> Documentation and some other kinds of data can be used without
> computer. Documentation can be printed and sold as books. One does not
> need a computer to read a printed documentation.
One does not need a computer to read printed source code either -- I do my
best debugging that way, on a desk scattered with papers. And one does
need a computer to read most PDF or MS Word files, no matter whether they
are printed or not: lpr foo.pdf is not a pretty sight.
> There are kinds of files (documentation, images, sounds) which can be
> used outside the cramped computer scope.
Indeed, I believe you are referring to the class "Creative works", which
includes computer programs. Go look at the DeCSS Gallery if you'd like a
slightly stranger, but more artful argument on the same topic.
> There is a whole various world outside the computer!
> --
> Best regards, Sergey Spiridonov
>
>
>
>
>
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--
Brian Sniffen bts@alum.mit.edu
http://www.evenmere.org/~bts/
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