Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!cbmvax!bagate!rutgers!usc!sdd.hp.com!hp-pcd!hpcvca!abrown
From: abrown@hpcvca.CV.HP.COM (Allen Brown)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: Old AmigaLibDisk material
Message-ID: <5660081@hpcvca.CV.HP.COM>
Date: 2 Dec 90 02:09:25 GMT
References: <14089@mcdphx.phx.mcd.mot.com>
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Co., Corvallis, Oregon
Lines: 25

> I have been tempted to start a new policy of only including material
> for which source is either distributed with the material, or available
> from the author, and that such source has to be provided (even if not
> -Fred

I strongly agree.

1.  If the source is included then its extremely unlikely that a virus
    or worm will also be included.
2.  I want to be able learn from what other programmers have done.
3.  It is sometimes possible to speed up or shrink a program by simply
    compiling it with a newer version of the compiler.
4.  Its nice to be able to fix or modify programs.  For example, years
    ago I installed emacs key bindings into the less program.  That
    would have been impossible without the source.
5.  There are other distribution media still available for those who
    refuse to supply source.

Of course all of this applys only to programs and other things which
*have* a source.  Pictures may not have a source.
--
  Allen Brown  abrown@cv.hp.com or abrown%hpcvca@hplabs.hp.com
	    or hplabs!hpcvca!abrown or "Hey you!"
  Not representing my employer.
  "Don't dream it... Be it." Rocky Horror Picture Show