From: Phillip Gawlowski <cmdjackryan@...>
Date: 2011-06-26T00:54:28+09:00
Subject: Re: SPDX (and the glazing of ones eyes)

On Sat, Jun 25, 2011 at 5:00 PM, Intransition <transfire@gmail.com> wrote:
> Never ceases to amaze me how complicated "enterprisey" peoples can
> make things.
>
>  http://spdx.org/
>
> I start with a very simple critique. Have any of these folks ever
> heard of YAML?

Let's look at all the OSI approved open source licenses:

http://opensource.org/licenses/category

That's over 70 licenses. So, off the top of your head: How many, and
which ones, are compatible with the GPLv2.0 *and* GPLv3.0 at the same
time?

Which licenses require the contributors to a project to give a patent
grant? Which ones require a copyright grant? Which ones require both?
Are they LGPL compatible?

If you want to see a real monster of a specification, look at Dublin
Core. Then answer: What's an author? Does your definition encompass
all possible scenarios (TV shows, plays, poetry, scientific works,
novels, ghost-authorship, translations, co-authorship)?

As a rule of thumb: Data formats are complex because the data is complex.

-- 
Phillip Gawlowski

A method of solution is perfect if we can forsee from the start,
and even prove, that following that method we shall attain our aim.
               -- Leibnitz