[arch-general] An old, tiresome discussion: cdrtools vs cdrkit

[Robert Howard]

Or we could distribute both and hope that the resultant time/anti-time
explosion is such that the universe is destroyed and we never have to bother
worrying about such pointless, unproductive, made-up bullshit again in our
lifetimes....

On Wed, Jan 27, 2010 at 10:34 AM, Jim Pryor
<lists+arch-general at jimpryor.net<lists%2Barch-general at jimpryor.net>
> wrote:

> Wow, this thread got very hot very fast. I composed this about an hour
> ago, when things were much cooler. But the questions still seem worth
> raising.
>
> I understand Joerg's frustration about the burden of proof issue here,
> and I also understand Allan's and Phrakture's reluctance, in the light of
> our not having more solid evidence from disinterested parties.
> Apparently Joerg has seen more such evidence, but is not in
> a position to provide it. That's unfortunate, but understandable.
>
> People are getting alternately enthusiastic, and frustrated, and annoyed
> with each other, but that seems to be about where this stands.
>
> Aren't there two questions here, though?
>
> 1. Should we distribute binaries of cdrtools?
> 2. Should we distribute binaries of cdrkit?
>
> Setting 1 aside for the moment, it sounds to me---not based wholly on
> this thread, but this thread exhausts my recent reading on the
> issue---like there are possible legal issues with 2, and in fact it
> sounds to me like the case for that is rather stronger than the case for
> there being legal issues with 1. That impression survives even if the
> case against cdrkit does all trace back to claims made by Joerg---which
> I don't know to be so but which has been alleged here.
>
> There are technical reasons for thinking
> cdrtools is much preferable to cdrkit; however that leaves it open
> whether cdrkit is or isn't good enough for the needs that prompt us to
> distribute a binary of either of these packages.
>
> As I said I do understand the reasons given for hesitating about
> cdrtools. But it sounds to me like cdrkit survives equally careful
> scrutiny less well.
>
> So why isn't the decision tree:
>
>    be most cautious legally, and distribute neither
>
>    be moderately cautious legally, in which case although it's not obvious
> cdrtools is in the clear, the case against cdrkit seems stronger, so if
> one is to be distributed it should be cdrtools
>
>    trust other distros, and decide we're clear to distribute either, in
> which case the technical merits again speak for cdrtools.
>
>
> --
> Jim Pryor
> jim at jimpryor.net
>