[thelist] [OT] Gift Culture on the Net: A Rant

Daniel J. Cody djc at starkmedia.com
Sat Aug 18 22:15:05 CDT 2001


Frank wrote:
> 
> I've recently downloaded a freeware tag from the developer's exchange, 
> and found it encrypted. Freeware. You can use it, you just aren't 
> allowed to learn from it. Just what *is* this about?

Let me guess, cold fusion tags? One thing that has always struck a 
difference with me between exclusive CF developers and exclusive 
perl/php/(at times)java programmers is the willingness of the 
perl/php/java people to allow others to learn from their code. IMO, this 
tends to be because CF developers may tend to come from a more 
structured commercial software enviornment where giving away code is 
quite unheard of. On the other hand(i'm making some generalisations 
here) perl/php/(and at times) java people have choosen those 
enviornments preciselly(sp?) because its open, and the opportunity to 
learn from others presents itself - enriching everyone in the process, 
perhaps not monetarily, but with knowledge.

Richard Stallman once said something along the lines of, "'Shareware' is 
the worst kind of software. It gives not support, yet asks payment for 
the software while keeping any chance at learning about the program 
closed as well"(terrible paraphrase, i know :)

> I'm not suggesting that one give away the company jewels, or that one 
> labour thanklessly for years, that's not win-win. I am suggesting that 
> if many of us were to look though some of our old work, we might find 
> some useful components, utilities and such that with minimal effort 
> could be a boon to fellow developers, especially the novices.

To paraphrase, as Linus Torvalds did not long ago, "Stand on the 
shoulders of giants"

> There are member's here on Evolt who've already chosen this path. Thank 
> you for that. Now it's my turn. Will you be the next?

Exactly! I've always hoped that evolt could provide those such as 
yourself with the general direction needed to see the advantages that 
sharing and cooperation can provide, if not the precise path itself :)

To get back to your point, the foundation of the internet is based on 
open source/free software that represt the best the 'gift culture' can 
provide and create. Products and services that choose to rely on 
proprietary methods which exclude openness will never gain a foothold on 
that foundation.

</end of rant> :)

.djc.







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