Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!apple!snorkelwacker!ai-lab!life!entropy From: entropy@mole.ai.mit.edu (Nick Castellano) Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st Subject: Re: Net users are cheapskates (was: Different Background) Message-ID: Date: 2 Oct 90 02:41:42 GMT References: <14440@mentor.cc.purdue.edu> <57880@microsoft.UUCP> Sender: news@ai.mit.edu Distribution: usa Organization: not much Lines: 73 In-reply-to: darekm@microsoft.UUCP's message of 1 Oct 90 23:18:12 GMT In article <57880@microsoft.UUCP>, darekm@microsoft.UUCP writes: >In some brainless article stevendd@mentor.cc.purdue.edu (Doug) writes: >> >>Does anyone know of a PD or shareware program to load in a picture [etc. etc.] > ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ > >A day doesn't go by that someone doesn't ask a question similar to this. >e.g. "does anyone know of a PD desktop publishing program as good as Calamus?" >Oh, of course, shareware programs are also ok, since you don't really have >to pay for them when you get them. If you can pirate something, that's ok too. Did he say anything about pirating? Stop hallucinating, please. >I realize that this is a free network, but why must we limit ourselves to >talking about PD or shareware software? Why don't we broaden our horizons Because he wanted a free program, not one he'd have to pay for. I see plenty of discussion of commercial software here. >and consider commercial software as well? If Doug has asked "Does anyone >know of a program..." then I could promply recommend 4 different commercial >packages (Easel ST, Quick ST II, Neodesk 2, DC Desktop) that are capable of >installing background pictures in either color or monochrome. I believe that >3 of those pacakges even have free demos that you can try out. But as it is, >Doug appears to be too cheap to want to consider these alternatives, and so >he will have to settle with my two cents worth response to his question: Too cheap? Maybe he has better things to spend his money on, like software that's more useful than a desktop picture loader. >Doug, I don't know of any PD or shareware programs that load desktop pictures >in color. I guess you're just SOL if you want to put a picture on your color >desktop. Too bad. Sounded like a neat idea. Maybe you should try writing such >a program, and then try selling it to your fellow netters. I'm sure you would >make a lot of money. Maybe he could write it and give it out for free. I certainly wouldn't pay good money for such a frivolous thing as prettying up the desktop. Especially since I don't use the desktop, I use Gulam (Oh my God, you mean...yes...gasp...a freeware shell!) >Thank you Doug, for letting all the ST developers out there know that you >(and many like you I'm sure) are too cheap to consider spending $20 to $50 >on a piece of software. Hell, why should you be forced to pay money for a Thank you, Darek, for making an ass of yourself in a public forum. >program that someone else spent time developing. All software should be free >right? And distributed freely on all BBSs and networks so that you don't have I think this is a great idea. Anyone else who does should contact the Free Software Foundation (rms@gnu.ai.mit.edu) and the League for Programming Freedom (league@prep.ai.mit.edu), let them know you support the free software movement, and ask for more information on these excellent organizations. >to even spend money on long distance phone bills or GEnie charges. Here's a >novel idea: all ST developers should mail out free copies of their software >to all ST users everywhere! The users wouldn't even have to return the disks. Again, a great idea. But, make sure it's all freeware and shareware. >It sure makes me all warm and mushy inside knowing that there is a future in >commercial software development on the ST. Me too. There is a future for commercial software. If they can write better software than what's available for free. -- | | | ncastellano@{eagle.wesleyan.edu, wesleyan.bitnet} | | | entropy@ai.mit.edu / | \ Sinkhole!dEADHEAd[@mast.citadel.moundst.mn.org] (call 203-873-8518) / | \ snikt!entropy