Re: [Savannah-users] Yet another gpl license question

[Joseph Pesco]

Yes, my project is all scripts.  You are correct I should first attempt to pole 
the system on installation for required capabilities (rpm jargon), before 
taking matters into my own hands.  If required, and if running with sufficient 
privileges, and if certain packages are needed use the system's provided 
facility for installation _before_ carting a package along with me.  Am I 
reading you correctly?  I'll need just a bit more time to digest the rest your 
comment.

condor  
------------------------------
On Sun, Jan 15, 2012 10:10 AM EST Joel J. Adamson wrote:

>Joseph Pesco <address@hidden> writes:
>
>>  A fair number of the scripts are `!/bin/bash', and one possibly two
>> use the `select' command.  I'm something of a CLI purest, and `select'
>> really is too right wing.  (UI is after all for people who can't
>> handle the truth.)  Even though I'm no expert on Bashisms if I'm going
>> to call on Bash I'll use Bashisms for all they're worth, except of
>> course any that hint at elements of user interface. There are no
>> binaries of my own making in the project as of yet. I've followed the
>> recommendations for the use of gplv3.
>
>Can you help me to understand your question?  You don't want to include
>external programs, because all of your project is scripts that depend on
>external programs.  This is as I understand it, then a question of
>compatibility across different systems that may have those programs
>installed.  You have a few options:
>
>1. Rewrite your program so that it doesn't require those programs (not a
>good idea[1])
>2. Expect users to have those programs installed (perfectly reasonable
>and saves you lots of trouble, including licensing)
>3. Include them with your package
>
>My opinion: every software package has requirements; this is a good
>thing.  Every package manager is designed around it.  One of the best
>things about software freedom is that we can freely reuse things
>(i.e. as long as we're not depending on non-free software we can build
>our civil technological society).  The simple technical side of it is
>that it's much easier just to install a properly-configured .rpm or .deb
>than to accidentally re-install programs that you already have.  This is
>my main reason for avoiding Sage[2].
>
>Joel
>
>
>Footnotes: 
>[1]  http://www.faqs.org/docs/artu/interfacechapter.html
>
>[2]  http://www.sagemath.org/
>
>-- 
>Joel J. Adamson <address@hidden>
>Servedio Lab
>University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
>http://www.unc.edu/~adamsonj
>
>Free Software Foundation Member #8164
>Join the FSF: http://www.fsf.org/jf?referrer=8164