[thelist] [OT] Gift Culture on the Net: A Rant
Frank
framar at interlog.com
Sun Aug 19 19:10:24 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?
> It's about giving you something which saves you work.
> Sounds like a gift to me.
It is indeed. From my point of view, it's a little bit like saying
"Here's a free car for you. By the way, you can't have the keys, and
may only drive it on certain roads. But you can have it."
>> I can appreciate the fact that a developer took the time
>> to give away some free work. Very nice of you. Thanks.
> Wanna try that again without the sarcasm?
None intended.
> And why not take the extra step and release the code
> that goes along with it?
> Um, because it's their choice? And you have the choice
> as to whether to use it or to go for something else.
Absolutely true. But this doesn't address my befuddlement at the
*intent* of encrypting free code and distributing it on a developer's
exchange. (Which is really what started all of this. Lack of focus in
an article is the very definition of 'rant' <g>)
> You *did* ask the author if they'd share their
> techniques with you, right?
> And what was their response?
I did as a matter of fact. I've received no reply. My response was to
brain it out, and to create a tag that does the same an more. You can
find it at <http://www.framarstudios.com/Downloads/> on Monday morning
>> I'm not suggesting that one give away the company
>> jewels,
> Not knowing what the author is about, or what the code
> entails, can you be sure that the source code doesn't do
> that?
That's a good point.
>> 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.
> For the person who gets the stuff, true. But for the
> authors?
If there were absolutely no value involved for the giver, s/he never
would have given to begin with. The fact is however that we are all
a giver or a taker at some point, and in a world of hundreds of
thousands of devlopers it seems to me that the more we give each
other, the more we support the mechanism for the betterment of
technology as a whole. Where would we be right now if Larry Wahl
hadn't given away PERL?
--
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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