Hi,
>>"Raul" == Raul Miller <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
Raul> Manoj Srivastava <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Marcus> a) Without documentation, you can't use the software.
>>
>> Does not apply to a standard. You use the standard by reading
>> it -- nothing has to be modified. A standard is not documentation for
>> a program.
Raul> "This program implements the ___ standard."
So? The program should still come with usage and configuration
documentation. Even then, the standard does not describe th e program
-- if the program does not do what the standard says, the program is
buggy, and should be changed -- not the standard. There is a big
difference between documentation for a program that may need to be
modified to match the behaviour, and a standard that should not be
changed.
Raul> So, I don't like the way the program behaves... is it buggy or have
Raul> I misunderstood what the program is supposed to do?
If you do not merely like how the program behaves, that does
not make it buggy. I don't like how ask wqorks. Big deal.
If the program does not follow what the stadard says, the
program is buggy. The standard is always authoritative (unless some
one has monkeyed with the standard, in which case it is no loger a
standard).
The exception is when the program is a reference
implementation. Thereference implementation should probably come with
its own documentation talking about usage and configuration, if at
all applicable.
If you modify a reference implementation, it is no longer a
reference implementation. And, if your modified copy behaves any
different fom the reference, your program is buggy as far as the
standard is concerned.
Raul> For example, consider /bin/sh: as it stands right now we're not
Raul> even free to distribute the standard, and we're certainly not free
Raul> to derive /bin/sh's documentation from a standard document.
I fail to see what this has to do with whether standards
should be mutable in order to get into main.
manoj
--
Always verify your witchcraft. --anonymous
Manoj Srivastava <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> <http://www.datasync.com/%7Esrivasta/>
Key C7261095 fingerprint = CB D9 F4 12 68 07 E4 05 CC 2D 27 12 1D F5 E8 6E
