Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!mips!bridge2!3comvax!tymix!cirrusl!sunscreen!dhesi From: dhesi%cirrusl@oliveb.ATC.olivetti.com (Rahul Dhesi) Newsgroups: comp.society.futures Subject: Re: Feedback on Computer Crime Message-ID: <2313@cirrusl.UUCP> Date: 27 Aug 90 03:53:07 GMT References: <14443@wpi.wpi.edu> <9008081452.AA18175@stc06.CTD.ORNL.GOV> <1990Aug14.054112.4347@looking.on.ca> <1990Aug14.224705.11615@bushido.uucp> Sender: news@cirrusl.UUCP Lines: 38 Brad Templeton wrote: 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. Dave Caswell counters: This is a ridiculous argument. You're saying every action is for personal gain, just because a person did it. Well, not just because a person did it, but because the person did it without being forced to do it. Sort of. I might give up my wallet at gun-point. Was it for personal gain? In a manner of speaking, yes, but I don't think this is what Brad meant. But I might write free software and give it away. Was it for personal gain? Very much so. People write software either because they get paid for it, or because they "feel like" writing it. I don't know of anybody who does it for any other reason. So what's the meaning of "feel like writing software"? It's probably a meaning very similar to the meaning of "feel like creating a painting". Or "feel like donating to charity". It's done without expectation of reward in the conventional sense of the word, but if you look deeper, there is -- or there *should be* -- expectation of reward in a different way. It could be the pleasure of a job well done, or the pleasure of having created something new, or the pleasure of seeing somebody else pleased. Or the pleasure of knowing one will be remembered as a hero long after one is dead. Anybody who does anything without no expectation of any gain whatsoever is being very stupid, and will eventually end up cynical and bitter at ungrateful people. -- Rahul Dhesi UUCP: oliveb!cirrusl!dhesi