Re: org.omg

[Mark Wielaard]

Hi,

On Sun, 2002-10-06 at 21:39, Sascha Brawer wrote:
> Mark Wielaard <address@hidden> writes:
> 
> > Note that this does not give explicit permission to make and distribute
> > changes (like fixing bugs, adding javadoc, removing unneeded classes,
> > etc).
> 
> What would be a reason for us to modify code whose shape is exactly
> prescribed by a standard? From what I understand, the reason for the OMG
> to distribute the sources is to ensure interoperability.

We want to distribute software that people should feel free to run,
change and redistribute for any purpose they want. Even if they want to
do things that we didn't think of or even things that we would call
technologically stupid (like not being interoperable with a standard).

> The "readme.txt" in the OMG distro says:
> 
> > Files which are not so marked [as dummy implementations to allow compilation
> > of the code] shall be provided by conformant products
> > "as is".  Vendors may not add or subtract functionality from them
> > (though of course things such as comments, formal parameter names, etc.
> > which do not change functionality may be modified.)
> 
> So, adding javadoc should be acceptable use, or am I misunderstanding this?
> 
> Could we include the OMG code for now, and replace it in case we should
> ever need to deviate from the standard?

No sorry. It is important to support standards but not if we cannot do
it with Free Software.

Mark