Date: Mon, 11 Apr 2005 16:55:55 -0400
From: Raul Miller <moth@debian.org>
To: debian-legal@lists.debian.org, debian-kernel@lists.debian.org,
       linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org
Subject: Re: non-free firmware in kernel modules, aggregation and unclear copyright notice.
Message-ID: <20050411165555.E32136@links.magenta.com>
References: <20050404190518.GA17087@wonderland.linux.it> <20050404193204.GD4087@stusta.de> <1112709907.30856.17.camel@silicium.ccc.cea.fr> <20050407210722.GC4325@stusta.de> <1112944920.11027.13.camel@silicium.ccc.cea.fr> <20050408173400.GA15688@stusta.de> <1112982171.5017.6.camel@mirchusko.localnet> <20050408180109.GB15688@stusta.de> <1112985737.8705.9.camel@mirchusko.localnet> <1n1euyqoz7akm$.1hq68bv2s0l5e.dlg@40tude.net>
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In-Reply-To: <1n1euyqoz7akm$.1hq68bv2s0l5e.dlg@40tude.net>; from bilotta78@hotpop.com on Sun, Apr 10, 2005 at 11:24:10AM +0200
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On Sun, Apr 10, 2005 at 11:24:10AM +0200, Giuseppe Bilotta wrote:
> AFAIK software only refers to programs, not to arbitrary sequences of
> bytes. An MP3 file isn't "software". Although it surely isn't hardware
> either.

This point is a controversial point.  Different people make different
claims.

For example, http://www.answers.com/software -- the Computer Desktop
Encyclopedia asserts that you are correct, while Wikipedia asserts that
you are incorrect.  The American Heritage Dictionary implies you are
correct, and WordNet implies that you're incorrect.

Usage is still evolving, so who knows where this issue will stand in
five years.

In the context of the linux kernel (which I presume you're talking about,
given the message headers), I don't think it's plausible to suggest that
the occasional use of the term "software" in the license means that the
stuff under Documentation/ isn't covered by the license.

-- 
Raul
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