docs/106027: man 4 random has a URL as reference - 2nd TRIAL

[Remko Lodder]

The following reply was made to PR docs/106027; it has been noted by GNATS.

From: Remko Lodder <remko at FreeBSD.org>
To: "waldeck at gmx.de" <waldeck at gmx.de>
Cc: freebsd-gnats-submit at FreeBSD.org
Subject: Re: docs/106027: man 4 random has a URL as reference - 2nd TRIAL
Date: Wed, 29 Nov 2006 21:16:21 +0100

 waldeck at gmx.de wrote:
 >> Number:         106027
 >> Category:       docs
 >> Synopsis:       man 4 random has a URL as reference - 2nd TRIAL
 >> Confidential:   no
 >> Severity:       non-critical
 >> Priority:       low
 >> Responsible:    freebsd-doc
 >> State:          open
 >> Quarter:        
 >> Keywords:       
 >> Date-Required:
 >> Class:          doc-bug
 >> Submitter-Id:   current-users
 >> Arrival-Date:   Wed Nov 29 18:50:20 GMT 2006
 >> Closed-Date:
 >> Last-Modified:
 >> Originator:     waldeck at gmx.de
 >> Release:        7.0-CURRENT-200611
 >> Organization:
 >> Environment:
 > FreeBSD fbh 7.0-CURRENT-200611 FreeBSD 7.0-CURRENT-200611
 > root at fb:/usr/src/sys/i386/compile/FB70B01 i386
 >> Description:
 > Follow up to PR 101564 (http://www.freebsd.org/cgi/query-pr.cgi?pr=docs/101564).
 > 
 >> The URL is required to understand the Yarrow protocol, we cannot remove
 >> that eventhough it requires internet access for this.
 > 
 > If the paper is really required for the understanding it should be part of the system.
 > 
 > I asked Bruce Schneier about the topic and I got following answer:
 > 
 >> How-To-Repeat:
 > 
 >> Fix:
 > 
 >> Release-Note:
 >> Audit-Trail:
 >> Unformatted:
 >  >Hello Bruce,
 >  >
 >  >FreeBSD uses an implemenation of the yarrow pseudorandom number generator.
 >  >
 >  >The man page (man 4 random) includes the URL of your paper
 >  >(http://www.counterpane.com/yarrow.html).
 >  >
 >  >This is not convenient if your are offline.
 >  >
 >  >Is there any problem like licening issues if a copy of the paper is 
 >  >included in FreeBSD?
 >  
 >  No.
 >  
 >  Bruce
 >  
 > _______________________________________________
 > freebsd-doc at freebsd.org mailing list
 > http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-doc
 > To unsubscribe, send any mail to "freebsd-doc-unsubscribe at freebsd.org"
 
 I dont feel conformtable doing that, we discussed this before and
 we will stick with the online reference, not only is that being
 maintained (which will probably wont be done very well within
 FreeBSD (no offense for the docteam) since it needs active
 following of the online document). As stated back then it will also not
 fit in a normally sized manual page, so that is not an option as well.
 
 I think we are done best with the current reference to the online paper.
 
 Some information from ruslan which i also used in the previous Pr/email:
 
  > if you follow it, you'll find the Yarrow paper is quite large,
  > and cannot probably be fit into a reasonable sized manpage.  I think
  > to understand the meaning of variables you need to know math and well
  > understand Yarrow theory, which that paper is about.
  > I think what's there now in our manpage is fine.
 
 So i see no other reason then to close this PR at this point.
 
 Thanks for taking the time to verify this with Bruce though!
 
 Cheers,
 Remko
 
 p.s. if someone else has another opinion feel free to grab the
 PR and reopen it.
 
 -- 
 Kind regards,
 
       Remko Lodder               ** remko at elvandar.org
       FreeBSD                    ** remko at FreeBSD.org
 
       /* Quis custodiet ipsos custodes */