On Wednesday 05 October 2005 21:19, Devdas Bhagat wrote:
> On 05/10/05 17:25 +0530, Kenneth Gonsalves wrote:
> > On Wednesday 05 Oct 2005 5:08 pm, Devdas Bhagat wrote:
> > > Go ahead. Software developers will issue warranties only in
> > > cases where they know and control the entire state of program
> > > execution. You can't complain if a car refuses to run under
> > > water and it was never advertised as doing so. If it fails
> > > under a set of controlled conditions, the manufacturer is
> > > liable. Multitasking operating systems just aren't controlled
> > > environments.
> >
> > spose i gave a warrantee like: warranteed to work with
> >
> > os distro x version y
> > apache version x
> > python version x
> > wxpython version x
>
> No. You have to guarantee exactly what is running on the CPU. And
> you need the exact same model of CPU. If you CPU switches registers
> too early, too late, has a few cycles more, the guarantee is void.
> You would want something like kernel version x.y.z, glibc a.b.c,
> apache version x with compile time flags C,O,M,P.I,L,E running with
> priority X and every file matching MD5 hashes...., and running on
> CPU <foo> over motherboard <bar> with hard disk model M from vendor
> v with firmware version F.v, etc running no other programs
> (including interactive shells)...
>
> > and that the defect complained off should be demonstrated on my
> > box with the above setup? (this is just a rough idea, to be
> > refined before we issue the GPW)
>
> This is about what you get currently. If a bug can be reproduced,
> it can be fixed. Just no formal warranties.
You do get exactly the above - a formal warranty for fixing bugs that
can be reproduced by a well defined set of conditions - when you
purchase hardware & software from good vendors.And you fix the
cpu-ram-mobo-whatever problem by making customised products defined to
do just what u specified. People who need such things - petrochem, pharma
industry, defence, medical electronics - pay fat sums for the privelege.
Now try fixing your problem running some closed program on your
defined-to-the-last-solder-joint-hardware. Even M$ gives you the source
for windows CE - even a mad man wont touch it otherwise. Which only goes
to show how much faith they have in the drivel they dish out in their
ads and PR.Libre software makes no assumptions and tells u point
blank. I dont see a problem with that. The author of the bbc article is
cunning (or clueless ?), while pretending to take issue with all
software merrily goes on to make idiotic pronouncements about libre
software which truthfully states facts. Someone gifts u a pen and says
it's great for signing. You sign a check without enough dough in the bank
and get clobbered in court. So sue the pen gifter for inducing you to sign
checks without educating you in law, commerce, economics etc. fater all he
told u it's great for signing.
rgds
jtd