Questionable interpretation of mask scoring criterion number 3 (finder pattern) about libqrencode

[unixdj]

2: It does include the quiet zone, but finder patterns may overlap. So if ----x-xxx-x---- occurs in the middle of the code, it counts as two patterns.

3: Each.

Disregarding finder patterns extending into the quiet zone defeats the purpose. Each code starting with 18 penalties of 40 points for finder patterns is not an issue, just like it's not an issue that each pattern has 4 black boxes, 4 white 5-pixel runs, 4 black 7-pixel runs and 2 white 8-pixel runs.

[whitslack]

So if ----x-xxx-x---- occurs in the middle of the code, it counts as two patterns.

@unixdj: If libqrencode actually counted it that way, then that would be fine, and what you're saying about all codes starting out with the same number of demerits for the standard-mandated patterns would indeed imply that it does not matter whether the quiet zone is treated as though it contained light modules. However, the problem specifically in libqrencode is that it doesn't demerit ----x-xxx-x---- twice, so it is failing to properly demerit a run of four light modules that occurs adjacent to a genuine finder pattern. Effectively "not noticing" when a run of four light modules occurs in the interior of the code, adjacent to a finder pattern, means libqrencode can sometimes select a suboptimal mask.