Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!decwrl!bacchus.pa.dec.com!granite.pa.dec.com!mwm From: mwm@raven.pa.dec.com (Mike (Real Amigas have keyboard garages) Meyer) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga Subject: Re: An issue for the entire Amiga Community. Message-ID: Date: 12 Jun 90 17:48:59 GMT References: <20930@snow-white.udel.EDU> <1990Jun3.163532.12083@ameristar> <1990Jun5.231451.422@ameristar> <141@cbmcel.UUCP> Sender: news@wrl.dec.com (News) Organization: Missionaria Phonibalonica Lines: 34 In-Reply-To: stoller@cbmcel.UUCP's message of 8 Jun 90 07:40:37 GMT In article <141@cbmcel.UUCP> stoller@cbmcel.UUCP (Martin S. Stoller) writes: Ok. So much said. But what about those (there are many) programs which once were PD or at least ShareWare, and are now COMMERCIAL. I don't mean those which have been commercialized by the original programmers (CYGNUS ED comes to mind, I'm still using VI on an AMIX, but one day I'll buy that super maniacal programmer's ED. I've heard it can now use other fonts. NEAT-O!), I mean those which have been COMMERCIALIZED by people which had gotten the idea from a PD program (or thought of it themselves, it doesn't really matter), after the PD version had been scoring the world. What is their excuse??? So chew on that!!! (please don't flame me, I've been working all night...>;-} ) So? If the code was PD, then not only is it legal for them to take the idea, it's legal for them to take the _code_ and turn it into a commercial product. That's what PD is all about [At least in the US; I've seen indications this isn't the case elsewhere.] As for just taking the idea - so what? Just as there are people who'd rather have a source code version they can change and support themselves, their are people who'd rather have a binary that someone else takes responsibility for making run correctly, and is willing to answer questions about, and otherwise provide support for. Being a firm believer in competition, I think both are good things to have around. And isn't "more choices in software" one of the primary reasons people buy hardware other than an Amiga? Taking a PD program commercial helps solve this problem.