Alfred M. Szmidt writes: > > notice in each nontrivial file in the package. As a rule of > thumb, > > any interesting file more than ten lines long should be > considered and > > could be nontrivial for this purpose. This includes header files > > It seems to me, if a file isn't interesting, it just doesn't belong > in the package; if a rule (of thumb) is referred to, it may make sense > to explain it. > > Maybe the wording here, "interesting", is what is the issue. I think > what Janneke was trying to convey (correct me if I am wrong), was a > "interesting" file in the sense that it is copyrightable, and not > e.g., autogenerated, just some boiler plate, simple test cases, etc.
Yes, I believe we need a better rule of thumb than the 10-lines suggestion. If any line is counted as any other, these seven lines --8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8--- 'Tis but thy name that is my enemy; Thou art thyself, though not a Montague. What's Montague? It is nor hand, nor foot, Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part Belonging to a man. O, be some other name! What's in a name? That which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet; --8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8--- would not be copyrightable, and not need a header, while these would --8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8--- 1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 5 5 6 6 --8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8--- I find the former, much more "interesting" than the latter, don't you agree? In any case, to *such* a file I certainly *would* (want to suggest to) add a header. Yet a file can be non-interesting by itself, and simultaneously essential for the package. While files like the second could be crucial for a test framework or something, I believe it would be unnecessary, silly, and counterproductive having to add a header, let alone writing code to stript that header during test (as an example). A file that is not essential, e.g., seldomly used debug code, could be very creative, need a header, yet be not essential (and be a better candidate not to include in the package). Maybe something like "sufficiently creative", or "considerably creative", or "somewhat creative", or "non-trivial" could better than "interesting"? Greetings, Janneke -- Janneke Nieuwenhuizen <[email protected]> | GNU LilyPond https://LilyPond.org Freelance IT https://www.JoyOfSource.com | Avatar® https://AvatarAcademy.com
