Re: How to make Emacs popular again.

[Jean Louis]

* Richard Stallman <rms@gnu.org> [2020-09-30 07:51]:
> Hold your horses!  I am concerned that promoting 'dict' is going in
> the wrong direction.  I don't know all the facts, so I won't assert
> that it is a problem; but we need to check.
> 
> The program 'dict' seems to be intended to access dictionaries on
> internet servers.  Probably on servers that don't belong to the user.
> 
> Does it have the ability to use a locally stored dictionary?  That's
> what we should encourage -- not dependence on servers by default.

Yes, it has ability to access local servers, at my Hyperbola
GNU/Linux-libre the package dictd was (probably) so configured to try
localhost first. On many other GNU/Linux systems, dictionaries can be
easier downloaded and installed on local system.

> 'dict -D' gave me a list of dictionaries that the program knows about.
> I presume these are found on various servers.  It does not say what their
> licenses are.  Which of those dictionaries is downloadable with
> a free license?

Yes, they have all free licenses.

dict-bouvier - John Bouvier's Law Dictionary for the USA
dict-devil - "The Devil's Dictionary" by Ambrose Bierce
dict-elements - Data regarding the Elements
dict-foldoc - FOLDOC dictionary database
dict-gcide - Comprehensive English Dictionary
dict-jargon - dict package for The Jargon Lexicon
dict-moby-thesaurus - Largest and most comprehensive thesaurus
dict-de-en - German-English translation dictionary for dictd
dict-freedict-afr-deu - Afrikaans-German dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-afr-eng - Afrikaans-English dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-ara-eng - Arabic-English dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-bre-fra - Breton-French dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-ces-eng - Czech-English dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-ckb-kmr - Central Kurdish-Northern Kurdish dictionary for the 
dict server/client
dict-freedict-cym-eng - Welsh-English dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-dan-eng - Danish-English dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-deu-eng - German-English dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-deu-ita - German-Italian dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-deu-kur - German-Kurdish dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-deu-nld - German-Dutch dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-deu-por - German-Portuguese dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-deu-tur - German-Turkish dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-eng-afr - English-Afrikaans dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-eng-ara - English-Arabic dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-eng-ces - English-Czech dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-eng-cym - English-Welsh dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-eng-deu - English-German dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-eng-ell - English-Modern Greek (1453-) dictionary for the dict 
server/client
dict-freedict-eng-fra - English-French dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-eng-gle - English-Irish dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-eng-hin - English-Hindi dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-eng-hrv - English-Croatian dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-eng-hun - English-Hungarian dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-eng-ita - English-Italian dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-eng-lat - English-Latin dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-eng-lit - English-Lithuanian dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-eng-nld - English-Dutch dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-eng-pol - English-Polish dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-eng-por - English-Portuguese dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-eng-rom - English-Romany dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-eng-rus - English-Russian dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-eng-spa - English-Spanish dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-eng-srp - English-Serbian dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-eng-swe - English-Swedish dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-eng-swh - English-Swahili (individual language) dictionary for 
the dict server/client
dict-freedict-eng-tur - English-Turkish dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-epo-eng - Esperanto-English dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-fra-bre - French-Breton dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-fra-eng - French-English dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-fra-nld - French-Dutch dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-gla-deu - Scottish Gaelic-German dictionary for the dict 
server/client
dict-freedict-gle-eng - Irish-English dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-gle-pol - Irish-Polish dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-hrv-eng - Croatian-English dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-hun-eng - Hungarian-English dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-isl-eng - Icelandic-English dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-ita-deu - Italian-German dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-ita-eng - Italian-English dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-jpn-deu - Japanese-German dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-jpn-eng - Japanese-English dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-jpn-fra - Japanese-French dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-jpn-rus - Japanese-Russian dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-kha-deu - Khasi-German dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-kha-eng - Khasi-English dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-kur-deu - Kurdish-German dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-kur-eng - Kurdish-English dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-kur-tur - Kurdish-Turkish dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-lat-deu - Latin-German dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-lat-eng - Latin-English dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-lit-eng - Lithuanian-English dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-mkd-bul - Macedonian-Bulgarian dictionary for the dict 
server/client
dict-freedict-nld-deu - Dutch-German dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-nld-eng - Dutch-English dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-nld-fra - Dutch-French dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-nno-nob - Norwegian Nynorsk-Norwegian Bokmål dictionary for the 
dict server/client
dict-freedict-oci-cat - Occitan (post 1500)-Catalan dictionary for the dict 
server/client
dict-freedict-pol-gle - Polish-Irish dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-por-deu - Portuguese-German dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-por-eng - Portuguese-English dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-san-deu - Sanskrit-German dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-slk-eng - Slovak-English dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-spa-ast - Spanish-Asturian dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-spa-deu - Spanish-German dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-spa-eng - Spanish-English dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-spa-por - Spanish-Portuguese dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-srp-eng - Serbian-English dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-swe-eng - Swedish-English dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-swh-eng - Swahili (individual language)-English dictionary for 
the dict server/client
dict-freedict-swh-pol - Swahili (individual language)-Polish dictionary for the 
dict server/client
dict-freedict-tur-deu - Turkish-German dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-tur-eng - Turkish-English dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-wol-fra - Wolof-French dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-deu-bul - German-Bulgarian dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-deu-fra - German-French dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-deu-pol - German-Polish dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-deu-rus - German-Russian dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-deu-spa - German-Spanish dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-deu-swe - German-Swedish dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-eng-bul - English-Bulgarian dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-eng-fin - English-Finnish dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-eng-jpn - English-Japanese dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-fin-bul - Finnish-Bulgarian dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-fin-ell - Finnish-Modern Greek (1453-) dictionary for the dict 
server/client
dict-freedict-fin-eng - Finnish-English dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-fin-ita - Finnish-Italian dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-fin-jpn - Finnish-Japanese dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-fin-nor - Finnish-Norwegian dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-fin-por - Finnish-Portuguese dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-fin-swe - Finnish-Swedish dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-fra-bul - French-Bulgarian dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-fra-deu - French-German dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-fra-ell - French-Modern Greek (1453-) dictionary for the dict 
server/client
dict-freedict-fra-fin - French-Finnish dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-fra-ita - French-Italian dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-fra-jpn - French-Japanese dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-fra-pol - French-Polish dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-fra-por - French-Portuguese dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-fra-rus - French-Russian dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-fra-spa - French-Spanish dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-fra-swe - French-Swedish dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-fra-tur - French-Turkish dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-ita-ell - Italian-Modern Greek (1453-) dictionary for the dict 
server/client
dict-freedict-ita-fin - Italian-Finnish dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-ita-jpn - Italian-Japanese dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-ita-pol - Italian-Polish dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-ita-por - Italian-Portuguese dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-ita-rus - Italian-Russian dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-ita-swe - Italian-Swedish dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-nld-ita - Dutch-Italian dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-nld-spa - Dutch-Spanish dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-nld-swe - Dutch-Swedish dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-pol-deu - Polish-German dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-pol-ell - Polish-Modern Greek (1453-) dictionary for the dict 
server/client
dict-freedict-pol-eng - Polish-English dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-pol-fin - Polish-Finnish dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-pol-fra - Polish-French dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-pol-ita - Polish-Italian dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-pol-nld - Polish-Dutch dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-pol-nor - Polish-Norwegian dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-pol-por - Polish-Portuguese dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-pol-rus - Polish-Russian dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-pol-spa - Polish-Spanish dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-pol-swe - Polish-Swedish dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-por-spa - Portuguese-Spanish dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-swe-bul - Swedish-Bulgarian dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-swe-deu - Swedish-German dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-swe-ell - Swedish-Modern Greek (1453-) dictionary for the dict 
server/client
dict-freedict-swe-fin - Swedish-Finnish dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-swe-fra - Swedish-French dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-swe-ita - Swedish-Italian dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-swe-lat - Swedish-Latin dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-swe-pol - Swedish-Polish dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-swe-por - Swedish-Portuguese dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-swe-rus - Swedish-Russian dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-swe-spa - Swedish-Spanish dictionary for the dict server/client
dict-freedict-swe-tur - Swedish-Turkish dictionary for the dict server/client
mueller7-dict - Mueller English/Russian dictionary in dict format
mueller7accent-dict - Mueller English/Russian dictionary with accents in dict 
format
dict-vera - Dictionary of computer related acronyms -- dict format
dict-wn - electronic lexical database of English language for dict

So all those can be downloaded on local server, it could be simple
task of one minute or more depending of the bandwidth.

> There IS a free English dictionary that people can download.  It is
> Wiktionary, packaged by kiwix.  It uses a special format, .zim, that
> is compact and suitable for searching.  That project packages
> Wiktionary for various languages.

I do not think it is standardized for dictd protocol, but I am not
sure.

I cannot easily find anythin:
https://dumps.wikimedia.org/enwiktionary/latest/ and if there is no
implementation for RFC 2229 protocol, its function remains more or
less browser based.

> Does the dict program have the ability to access a dictionary
> in that format?

Better said, does the Wiktionary provide the dict format.

I prefer using GNU dico first, before dict:

Package: dico
Version: 2.9-5
Description-en: RFC 2229 compliant dictionary client
 GNU Dico is an implementation of the DICT protocol as defined in RFC 2229.
 It is fully modular: the daemon itself (dicod) provides only the server
 functionality, and knows nothing about database formats. Actual searches
 are performed by functions supplied in loadable modules. A single module
 can serve one or more databases.
 .
 This package contains the dico console client.

Homepage: https://puszcza.gnu.org.ua/software/dico/

Reference: https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc2229

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DICT