On Fri, 2003-09-26 at 03:04, Fedor Zuev wrote: > First, try to answer to several simply questions. First, let me note that I speak only for myself here, and I have a very liberal use of the term 'software.' In the Social Contract, a more conservative one is used, where we'd only consider it software if we can store its bits on a computer hard disk, CD, DVD, etc. > > 0) Is printed Emacs Manual in bookstore a software or hardware? The actual paper is not. The information printed on them is. > 1) Is Emacs Manual recorded on CD-Audio a software or hardware? The actual polycarbonate and aluminum disc is not. The information encoded on it is. > 2) Is Debian/main printed as book a software or hardware? Same as (0) > 3) Why? What differs from 0,1? n/a --- nothing differs. > 4) Is Debian/main printed into punch-cards a software or hardware? The paper is hardware. The information stored on them is software. > 5) Why? What differs from 0,1,2? see (3) > 6) Is Debian/main written on CD-ROM a software or hardware? see (1) > 7) Why? What differs from 0, 1,2,4? see (3) > 8)Is Debian logo written on [cover of] the same CD-ROM software or > hardware? The paper and ink is hardware. The information --- i.e., the abstract logo, independent of the representation medium --- is software. > 9) Why? What differs from 0, 1, 2, 4, 6? see (3) > 10) Is Debian installation, hardcoded into embedded system software > or hardware? the EEPROM, FLASH, or whatever that stores it is hardware. The information is software. > 11) Why? What differs from 0, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8? see (3) If you take a computer hard disk, there is a portion of it that can only be a part of a hard disk: The platters, the read/write heads, the servos, etc. That's what I call the hardware. There is another part which, amazingly, can be a part of nearly anything. It can be burnt to optical media such as CD-R and DVD-R; it can be stored in magnetic flux on a tape; it can be sent over a communications link; it can be printed on the pages of a book; it can be read aloud. That's what I call the software. I don't claim that this is common usage. I do however claim that if you take the subset that is written to a computer hard disk, that is what the Social Contract calls software, and that is a reasonably common usage. > 12) Does DFSG extends to computer programs, when they are not loaded > into computer memory? Yes. > (For example what about program, which is > freely distributable only over Internet?) Violates DFSG 1, 2, and possibly others.
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