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

rudy r937 at interlog.com
Sun Aug 19 10:20:45 CDT 2001


> p.s. Let me say it again - I am NOT speaking for Macromedia.

hi ray

please allow me to make a comment on the position you find yourself in

first of all, my thanks to you on several levels -- for contributing your
time and knowledge to us, for being here to answer questions both
subject- and employer-related, for doing a fine job representing your
company, and for making it clear when your opinions are your own
and not your company's

that we are talking about cold fusion decryption and you happen to
work for the cold fusion vendor is incidental

thank you for walking what must seem at times a very thin line

hiding and unhiding source code is a controversial subject that brings
forth very strong emotions, since it touches the heart of one's ethics, the
question of what is right and wrong

that there should be any doubt about whether this issue involves
what is right and what is wrong amazes me (but then again, i am pretty old)

that there is doubt and disagreement about where to draw the line does not

i can sympathize with authors wanting to protect their work, but i can also
understand those who say that if you don't want something lifted, don't put
it on the net

e.g. my favourite strategies for protecting source code?

   ~ wrap your code in <hide>...</hide> tags
   ~ develop your site in frontpage or word
        (this won't actually hide your code,
               but nobody'll want to steal it)

<tip>

when designing a database, always use the appropriate datatype for date
values (usually DATE or DATETIME) -- resist the temptation to use a text
field

anyone who has ever subtracted two dates has had this epiphany

date columns also allow you to use the database's date functions in your
SELECT statement, rather than manipulating the format of dates yourself

there are better things to do with your time than

    var days = new Array ('Sunday', 'Monday', 'Tuesday', 'Wednesday'
                       ,'Thursday', 'Friday', 'Saturday');


</tip>

rudy






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