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using the PSF license for one's code

David Brown david at no.westcontrol.spam.com
Thu Nov 7 10:02:04 EST 2002 
"Anton Vredegoor" <anton at vredegoor.doge.nl> wrote in message
news:aqdpmv$lv1$1 at news.hccnet.nl...
> On Thu, 7 Nov 2002 10:33:51 +0100, "David Brown"
> <david at no.westcontrol.spam.com> wrote:
>
> >Have you considered whether Python is really a suitable language for this
> >job?  It is probably ideal for your first project, but not necessarily
for
> >the second one.  Python makes it easy to write great software, but it
also
> >makes it easy to make mistakes which can only be found at run-time.  You
> >might want to consider writing the key working parts of the software in a
> >language designed with safety and reliability in mind, such as Ada (not
C!),
> >while using Python for the secondary work (user interface, logging
results,
> >or whatever).
>
> This thread is filled with reverse psychology! First the idea is
> proposed to use the GPL because it's in the best interest of the
> babys, which is doubtfull. Then it amounts to using lawyers to protect
> the interests the authors of the sourcode, which would certainly
> damage the interests of the babys. Now it reaches a state where using
> a "safe and reliable" language is proposed instead of using python,
> which is comparabale to throwing away the babys and keeping only the
> bathing water.
>

The author thinks the GPL is in the best interest of the babies, because it
will let other doctors freely use the program, and will ensure that any
improvements to the program will benifit all users.  The lawyers are
involved to protect the author from other lawyers, so that he can go on
writing and using this code for the benifit of the babies.

As for the safety of the language, it all depends on what the system is
doing.  Judging from other posts, it looks like it will be a calculation aid
rather than directly controlling something, so there are additional human
checks along the line.  Python makes it quick and easy to write code, but if
you are controlling something this important directly, then you want a
language that will give you the best help in getting correct code, and that
means using a strongly-typed language - in addition to Python for the
non-critical parts.

> Please stop trying not to start a flame war.

Meaning please start one?

>
> AV.
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