Newsgroups: comp.society.futures Path: utzoo!utgpu!watserv1!maytag!looking!brad From: brad@looking.on.ca (Brad Templeton) Subject: Re: Feedback on Computer Crime Organization: Looking Glass Software Ltd. Date: Tue, 14 Aug 90 05:41:12 GMT Message-ID: <1990Aug14.054112.4347@looking.on.ca> References: <14443@wpi.wpi.edu> <9008081452.AA18175@stc06.CTD.ORNL.GOV> I know of nobody who writes software other than for personal gain. I know many who write software and abjure direct *financial* gain, but there is a big difference. Richard Stallman writes software, and releases it under his very particular terms in order to promote his particular political agenda. Others have written free software for the satisfaction of having other people make wide use of their code. (I've done this myself) Or for the fame and respect that it brings. Others have written software and given it away in the hope of earning consulting contracts or other indirect financial gain from the fame the free software brings. Some write software and give it away because they can't think of anything else to do with it. By and large most writers of free software do it for personal gain. You just can't measure that gain in a bankbook most of the time. -- Brad Templeton, ClariNet Communications Corp. -- Waterloo, Ontario 519/884-7473