August 17, 2006

GNU Dictionary

Last year, Arabeyes group received a request from Wikitionary administrator for appending Arabeyes's dictionary to Wikitionary project, and a very interesting discussion started in the Arabeyes mailing list.

Here we have a GPL dictionary, and we want to insert it in an FDL project, can we do it?

This was the main question at that time, but this simple question, will lead to several important questions:

  1. Which is more suitable for a dictionary: GPL or FDL?
    And:
  2. What is Dictionary considered originally: a software component or a text?
    And once you think that it's a database, neither a software component nor a text, you might say:
  3. Which is more suitable for a database: GPL/LGPL or FDL?
    And finally:
  4. What's the basic difference between GPL and FDL?

Simply, I think that the basic difference is that FDL focuses on the material as a printed material, but not as a software library.

While GPL/LGPL discuss the library issues, but not the printed material issues.

Technically, what's dictionary?

By simple analysis, you can realize that dictionary basically, is not a code; it's something real, you can print it, publish it for human readers. But in the same time, in practical, it's a (library), that could be understood and used by software applications, so that they can employ it, and capitalize on it, for their own sake.

Simply: it's a printable library.

And actually, this is database!

Now take a look to this simple matrix:

IPM - The Intellectual Products Matrix
Printable Library License Collaboration system
Software x y GPL/LGPL CVS
Text y x FDL HTTP/Wiki
Databases y y ?? ??
Arts (Images) y y CC x
Arts (Media) x y CC x

So, we need:

  • A GNU license for Databases/Dictionaries, which considers: Library issues, and printing issues.
  • A powerful and agile collaboration system which can really capitalize on the power of databases.

The License:

It should cover all the potential usages of a dictionary:

  • A software dictionary.
  • A printed dictionary
  • Using its glossary in the commercial/noncommercial media materials.

The collaboration system:

I think that appending contributions via POP3/SMTP client mail is the best way for a collaborative database project. And here's why:

Massive appending No web interface required
HTTP/Wiki x x
SMTP/SQL y y

So the matrix will be like this:

IPM - The Intellectual Products Matrix
Printable Library License Collaboration system
Software x y GPL/LGPL CVS
Text y x FDL HTTP/Wiki
Databases y y GDL (GNU Dictionary/Database License) SMTP/SQL
Arts (Images) y y CC x
Arts (Media) x y CC x
Posted at 1:20 PM | Comments?
Categories: Internationalization