Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!hoptoad!uunet!pyrdc!grebyn!macom1!coldbeer!roth From: roth@coldbeer.UUCP Newsgroups: alt.flame Subject: Re: of flames and sources (was: Re: Fred - A terminal Program) Message-ID: <244@coldbeer.UUCP> Date: Mon, 12-Oct-87 23:06:37 EDT Article-I.D.: coldbeer.244 Posted: Mon Oct 12 23:06:37 1987 Date-Received: Thu, 15-Oct-87 06:47:03 EDT References: <246@ddsw1.UUCP> <203@papaya.bbn.com> <451@brandx.rutgers.edu> <462@brandx.rutgers.edu> Distribution: alt Organization: Eve of Destruction Labs, Ardmore, MD. Lines: 68 Summary: Copyrights are no impediment to the honest. In article <462@brandx.rutgers.edu>, webber@brandx.rutgers.edu (Webber) writes: > Then what is all this business about > > >> XFRED represents a great deal of work on my part, over a year of > > >> Xdevelopment. I have no real desire to market this as a product, but > > >> Xif you find FRED useful, you might see your way to send me something > > >> Xto recompense this development time. > While I will admit that it isn't direct use of force, it really is > just about as demanding as once can be in ASCII. Of course, I will ^^^^^^^^^ Demanding? It most certainly is not! It's only an appeal to the softhearted or soft headed to send him some money. > ignore it, but again, I ignored the program that went with it as well > (who wants to hassle with copyrighted sources anyway?). I do! And so do a lot of other people on the net. Copyrighted sources only restrain me from incorporating it into company products or selling it to a cutomer. I can keep it for my use and play with it to my hearts content. > `Panhandling' is exactly what you are doing. There are laws against > that in many places in the U.S. Besides this you are also appearing But here is no law against it on Usenet, nor should there be. It might be in bad taste, but there are lots of bad taste postings on Usenet that have no utility what so ever. For example, many of the postings to alt.flame are name calling contests in poor taste that are usefull only as a form of electronic "primal scream therapy". > to donate a source while retaining: > > >> XFRED is shareware, Pipe Dream Associates retains any and all > > >> Xcopyrights to this software. It may be copied or uploaded so > > >> Xlong as no attempt is made to charge for it. > > Swell, I can copy and download (oops only upload) it and that's it. > Why won't you let me compile it? Run it? Fix it? Extend it? You can compile, run, fix, and extend it and you know it. The only thing you can't do is claim it as your work or sell it as your product. If you don't intend to claim it as your work or sell it, why to you object to someone who generously makes his source code available to the whole net and only asks that his claim of authorship and right to commercially exploit his work be respected? You seem to want it all, you want people to donate their software and relinquish all their rights as the author. Nothing could have a more chilling effect on the willingness of persons to post software of any utility than to demand that they surrender all their rights. > the net.'' Once people start making money off the net, sites will > want to get their `cut.' And before you know it, we have BIX, Compuserve, > or some other silliness. Nonsense, no one makes money out of shareware, a cut of nothing is nothing. You also fail to explain how Usenet will migrate into something like Compuserve.I don't believe it is possible. > > In short, I don't see anything wrong with someone asking for a small > > contribution for their efforts. Just like the panhandler on the sidewalk, > > you are always free to ignore the request. > > But it gives the neighborhood a bad name if too many of them collect! Oh, snobbery on Usenet. A shareware author's unrealistic appeal for money offends your over developed sense of propriety. > Obviously you don't read comp.sources.d or you would already know MY opinion > of binaries, copyrighted sources, and other such garbage on the net. I think we do know YOUR opinions, you've never been shy about expressing them! -- work phone 1-301-984-3636 home phone 1-301-386-2138 {grebyn, decuac, paisano}!macom1!coldbeer!roth