Re: How much code is disputed by SCO?

From: Tsu Dho Nimh (tsudhonimh_at_lumbercartel.com)
Date: 08/11/03 

Date: Mon, 11 Aug 2003 04:49:56 -0700

fuzzywzhe@yahoo.com (fuzzywzhe) wrote:

>Tsu Dho Nimh <tsudhonimh@lumbercartel.com> wrote in message news:<1lfcjv4t81t9jq8hnp64va6299ff2a6fb5@4ax.com>...
>> fuzzywzhe@yahoo.com (fuzzywzhe) wrote:
>> Yes, but would you rewrite the comment from scratch too? They
>> have mentioned that "even the comments" were copied. If you saw
>> a decently written comment, would you mess with it?
>
>Yes, because how I understand the code and how somebody else
>understands the code are two different things.
>
>Once I understand the code completely, I rewrite it completely.
>The only thing I might copy would be a description of what the
>function or module would do since that defines the interface.

  Trying to write an original description of a module's function
and what modules it interfaces with would be like trying to write
an original description of an RS-232 port or a toaster oven.

  You have very little freedom of choice for vocabulary, and any
well-written English description would be extremely close to any
other ... technical writing, and especially short bits written
about a single widget, tends to be very uniform. Almost all tech
writers would explain the functions in the order the code makes
things happen, and list the dependencies alphabetically.

  I've seen things written by writres at Motorola or TI that are
almost identical to what I wrote about a similar device. What
can you say about a voltage regulator?

Tsu 

--
To doubt everything or to believe everything
are two equally convenient solutions; both
dispense with the necessity of reflection.
- Jules Henri Poincaré

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