Author: Vincent Diepeveen
Date: 17:20:50 11/08/01
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On November 08, 2001 at 10:11:44, Jon Dart wrote: >I make both binary and source downloads of my program available. > >Well over 95% of the downloads are for binaries only. There just aren't that >many chess programmers out there, compared to the population of chess players. > >I do think that the open source advocates are a bit misguided, just because of >this kind of imbalance. Most of the software-using population couldn't care less >about source being available. I think what he was trying to say is that there is no imbalance, there is simply *no one* helping him now. so in short he sees *no* reason to be open source, for the simple and very true reason that no one helps him. Crafty is probably strongest freeware chessprogram now, so people help Bob if they help *anyone*. If you're one strongest free chessprogram, forget just that bit of help! Of course if you have a question you can post it without hesitation, and you'll get answer, but the hard progress seems he didn't get much help there. >But is it useful for the original programmer to make source public? I think so. >I've gotten lots and lots of bug reports - fewer now than I used to, but that's >because the reported ones have mostly been fixed. And I have paid attention to I also get bugreports from DIEP, despite that it's not open source. Not even a freeware program in fact. I see no connection between 'bugreports' and the advantage of being open source. >user suggestions for features - I can't implement all of them but some of them >have gotten done. Plus I got interesting email from lots of different people all >over the world. > >I had a few programmers who actually wanted to work on the source contact me. >But no one really followed up on this. Disappointing, perhaps, but not >unexpected, given that programming expertise in this specialized field is not >common, and those who do have it often choose to go off and start their own >projects. Yeah and joining you, bob and some other guys together is also asking for a major problem :) >B.t.w. I have looked at ZZZZZ source - it was at the time one of the relatively >few public source programs available. Actually it's called ZZZZZZ and it's from gijsbert wiesenecker, a real cool and happy guy. When i first encountered him and played ZZZZZZ at the 1994 dutch open championships i asked him: "how should i pronounce it, like z-z-z-z-z-z?" Answer: "No just like someone who's sleeping! ZZZZZZ" HOpefully ZZZZZZ joins the i-csvn tournament in april/may >--Jon
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