[thelist] [OT] Gift Culture on the Net: A Rant
Frank
framar at interlog.com
Sat Aug 18 19:27:45 CDT 2001
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?
I can appreciate the fact that a developer took the time to give away
some free work. Very nice of you. Thanks. And why not take the extra
step and release the code that goes along with it?
When the net first took off (pre-Mosaic and AOL), the majority of the
participants were university educated people (OK, males). Mostly
young, mostly idealistic. Such a time spawned such development the
GPL, CopyLeft, etc. From that sprang what is known as the OpenSource
movement.
Then came Mosaic, and pictures in web pages, and business brochures,
and e-commerce, and e-commerce development companies at every level.
Thoughout we've maintained the fact that while profit is a most
excellent thing, that one can also find the gift culture just as
rewarding. It's the other side of the coin.
The some notable features of the gift culture:
- Meeting other's with shared interest.
- Collaboration (the most rewarding?).
- The sharing and exchange of new ideas.
- Getting free stuff that you can use or learn from.
- Exposing one's self to various styles and techniques.
- The reward of knowing that somewhere, somehow, you may have helped someone.
I see that perpetuating the gift culture on the net as a positive
thing. One has access to to a large variety of free tool, programs
and learning resources. There's no catch. In exchange, you give a
little away, just what you can and no more.
What could be a more spiritual act than to do something that would
allow another to make money (that you would never have seen anyway),
providing materials to allow others to learn and improve their skills
or simply to entertain?
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.
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?
--
Where there's a will, there's a way.
Frank Marion Loofah Communications
frank at loofahcom.com http://www.loofahcom.com
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