Bug#505182: ITP: libmath-random-perl -- random number generators
Package: wnpp
Severity: wishlist
Owner: Charles Plessy <plessy@debian.org>
Package name : libmath-random-perl
Version : 0.71
Upstream Author : John Venier and Barry W. Brown
URL : http://search.cpan.org/dist/Math-Random/
License : same conditions as Perl, plus some public domain, plus some BAD NEWS.
Programming Lang: Perl
Description : random number generators
Math::Random is a Perl port of the C version of randlib,
which is a suite of routines for generating random deviates. See
"RANDLIB" for more information.
.
This port supports all of the distributions from which the Fortran
and C versions generate deviates. The major functionalities that
are excluded are the multiple generators/splitting facility and
antithetic random number generation. These facilities, along with
some of the distributions which are included, are probably not of
interest except to the very sophisticated user. If there is
sufficient interest, the excluded facilities will be included in a
future release. The code to perform the excluded facilities is
available as randlib in Fortran and C source.
I am interested in libmath-random-perl because it is a dependancy of the new
upstream release of BioPerl. A preliminary package is almost ready. However,
quoting from README:
THE BAD NEWS. We adapted or modified many routines published in the
ACM's Transactions on Mathematical Software. The ACM has copyright on
these routines (see the ACM statement on software policy in the POD/man
page). Commercial incorporation of these routines into products to be
sold requires permission and perhaps payment to the ACM. But if you
don't plan to sell them, enjoy. (Note, however, that algorithms per se
cannot be copyrighted; see 17 USC 102(b).)
libmath-random-perl is therefore non-free. Is the Debian Perl team interested
in hosting this package ? If not, we will host it in Debian Med.
Have a nice day,
--
Charles Plessy
Debian Med packaging team
Tsurumi, Kanagawa, Japan
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