Documentation vs. Software (Re: Savannah rejects a project because it uses GPL)

[simo]

On Thu, 2006-02-16 at 22:02 +0100, Alfred M. Szmidt wrote:
>    > Yes, since the output is static.  The output of a program isn't.
> 
>    Then a program to generate the prime numbers or calulate the digits
>    of pi or whatever similar is documentation.
> 
> No, since the output, i.e. program, isn't static.  You'd have a
> point[0] if you dumped the listing of prime numbers from the program,
> which isn't static...

ok ... the fact that you are good at finding problems in analogies is
known  bu now. What about starting looking beyond these defects and go
to the substance ?

Let's try with a better example, I hope.

So what do you call a spreadsheet with macros ?
Is it a document? Is it a program ?

To me it is both, and the output can be both static and not even on the
same spreadsheet all depending on many factors.

To me what differentiate a program from a document is that a program can
handle inputs, while, generally, documents should not. Said that I know
there a re documents that can change and take inputs, so it really does
not make any sense to draw a clear line, the line moves on a case per
case base.

> Cause we are hard headed hackers who do not know don't know what `give
> up' means.  Agreeing to disagree doesn't mean that we should stop
> trying to convince each other.

When yourself you are not able to concede any point to your own "truth"
then it is better to stop.

> Debian is cleary non-free, there is nothing to dispute it.  It isn't
> even based on a opinion.  It is simple to prove: Does the Debian
> project distribute non-free programs? Of course it does, see the
> non-free software section on their FTP site.

I think this discussion is meaningless here.

Simo.