Re: Software in main that is throughly useless without non-free software
James Troup <james@nocrew.org> writes:
> > The point is that every single TCP/IP client that is in existance now
> > or ever will be has a free server available: netcat. This renders
> > other distinctions meaningless, I think.
>
> Oh, purlease. This is sophistry. When talking about common every day
> usage of a client like TiK; now using netcat as a server might sound
> c00l, 3l33t and funny on IRC, but how useful is it in real life? It's
> not.
The point is that it's possible. You *can* use TiK with only free
software.
As I mentioned, I frequently use something like netcat for testing. I
may impersonate an SMTP client when testing mail server setup, or
impersonate an SMTP server when testing mailing software setup.
The point that I've been trying to make this whole time is that what
is on the other end of the TCP connection is irrelevant as far as your
software is considered. There is no way from a software point of view
to know what's over there, and in fact unless you installed it
yourself, even as a user there's no way to know for sure what's over
there. This is one of the many beauties of our layered TCP/IP model:
things operate at a level that is independant of what lies on either
end. This is why we have so many different web browsers that talk to
so many different web servers, for instance.
Debating usefulness is pointless. Who are you to say what is useful
for me? We have already discussed this issue, and as I recall, you
agreed that what's useful for me may not be for you. For me, using
netcat as a SMTP server is useful. Perhaps I'm the only person on
this list or the only developer in this project for which that is
true. Fine, so be it. But that doesn't mean that netcat as a SMTP
server is devoid of use. It means simply that your needs are
different than mine. I do not try to force my needs on you; please
reciprocate in kind.
-- John
--
John Goerzen Linux, Unix consulting & programming jgoerzen@complete.org |
Developer, Debian GNU/Linux (Free powerful OS upgrade) www.debian.org |
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