The debate on the distinction between software, documentation, and data, and the required freeness of each (and a reference to Venn diagrams in one thread) has inspired me to attempt to diagram the relationships being discussed. Attached is a very simple xfig diagram of what I see. The diagram is also available at http://www.iegrec.org/venn-like2.png Some of my opinions: I'm using the following definitions for what's in the circles: Software is: "Any information that is encoded electronically"* Programs are: "Information that instructs computer hardware how to behave" Documentation is: "Information that describes the behavior of something" The following areas are non-empty: D -- For example, the wiring of an ENIAC A -- For example, literate programming, HTML E -- For example, deadtree books on psychology F -- For example, a digital recording of Beethoven's 9th symphony** B is empty because the programs there describe their behavior through their instructions. (Maybe not in a very convenient language, though) I think C is empty, but I can't really formulate the exact reason at the moment. The DFSG should apply to anything in "Software", i.e. A,B,C, and F Debian should not/does not distribute anything but software, i.e. The DFSG does not need to apply to areas D, nor E. --Joe * This definition is intentionally broad. For those who want to define "Software" as it is used in the SC and DFSG as "computer programs", then consider C and F as empty, and explain why Debian should distribute non-software (i.e. area E) ** This is a poor example, since it instructs the sound card how to behave.
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