From: Austin Ziegler <austin@...>
Date: 2003-07-10T10:14:42+09:00
Subject: Re: My brief and torrid affair with Ruby.

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On Thu, 10 Jul 2003 07:06:59 +0900, Daniel Carrera wrote:
> On Thu, Jul 10, 2003 at 06:52:54AM +0900, Warren Brown wrote:
>> I believe that Daniel is interpreting "viral" strictly according
>> to the dictionary definition: "of, relating to, or caused by a
>> virus"; and "virus" as: "the causative agent of an infectious
>> disease".
>> 
>> I think that others are perhaps using a more generic definition of
>> "viral" more akin to "something that spreads through self-
>> replication".
> 
> My definition of viral in this context is "something that forces
> its own spread in the sense that it might 'infect' an individual
> without that individual's consent.

Viral marketing. The "idea" is "infectious" and is spread by word of
mouth.

> Email worms are viral. They spread even if the user doesn't want
> them to. The GPL is not viral. It will not "spread" into your work
> unless you want it to.

He's not talking about email worms. He's talking about those silly
emails that get sent around 100 gazillion times monthly. I have the
choice to not forward those emails, but I sometimes find them funny
enough to do so.

The GPL is viral in this sense and in the sense of "viral
marketing. It's intended to be, by the way.

- -austin
- --
austin ziegler    * austin@halostatue.ca * Toronto, ON, Canada
software designer * pragmatic programmer * 2003.07.09
                                         * 21:10:41


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