From eb028d9d465f26a2e9c6d0d61ee2d727c55b26d8 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: "Eric S. Raymond" Date: Wed, 10 Sep 2003 08:58:10 +0000 Subject: [PATCH] More explanation. --- comparator.xml | 22 ++++++++++++---------- 1 file changed, 12 insertions(+), 10 deletions(-) diff --git a/comparator.xml b/comparator.xml index ad0c52c..f83f789 100644 --- a/comparator.xml +++ b/comparator.xml @@ -94,10 +94,10 @@ and small similarities. (including blank lines) to be ignored for comparison purposes (line numbers in the output report will nevertheless be correct). -The applies C-language-specific -normalization; { and } characters are removed. This is recommended -for comparing C code; it prevents the comparison won't be fooled by -differences in indent style. +The implies and also +applies C-language-specific normalization; { and } characters are +removed. This is recommended for comparing C code; it prevents the +comparison from being fooled by differences in indent style. The enables some debugging output. It is for developers; if you need to understand it, read the code. @@ -140,12 +140,14 @@ updates and other resources. LIMITATIONS -comparator does not attempt to -do semantic analysis and catch relatively trivial changes like renaming of -variables, etc. This is because comparator -is designed not as a tool to detect plagiarism of ideas (the subject -of patent law), but as a tool to detect copying of the expression -of ideas (the subject of copyright law). +comparator does not attempt to do +semantic analysis and catch relatively trivial changes like renaming +of variables, etc. This is because +comparator is designed not as a tool to +detect plagiarism of ideas (the subject of patent law), but as a tool +to detect copying of the expression of ideas (the subject of copyright +law). Normalizing the code in excessively clever ways would trespass +into the territory of ideas and tend to produce false positives. The heuristic for eligible files can be fooled, though this is unlikely. -- 2.43.0