Author: Dann Corbit
Date: 21:14:16 10/29/99
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On October 29, 1999 at 23:55:32, Will Singleton wrote: [snip] >Dann, > >I understand your point, and it is well taken. But, as I see it, you ignore the >difference between publishing source code and publishing ideas. > >You illustrate the elementary example of the novice programmer and bubble-sort. >Notwithstanding the recent crafty bubble-sort thread, you oversimplify; your >example doesn't address the issue. That is, the ideas and methods of sorting >can be explained through pseudo-code and code-fragments. The actual >implementation is left to the programmer. > >To publish a complete system, working in all respects, does not add more to the >general pool of knowledge than does publishing an article explaining the issues. > In fact, it does less, and furthermore, has the obvious drawbacks. > >This seems clear to me, much like the concept that people should work for a >living rather than receiving welfare. Do you not agree? On the one hand: I do not agree. I don't think it is bad to publish the code. Is GCC bad? Is Linux bad? Is any other open source project bad because the source was shown? What about ACE? What about SFL? What about Snippets? All of these are tremendously useful resources and some of them accomplish incredibly useful tasks. Furthermore, ACE and SFL are incredibly well documented. You can pick up the documentation and start using the tools right away. And if something goes wrong you can trace the source. Just about ideal as far as I can see. Plus they can be used free of charge. On the other hand: I respect any programmer's right to keep their work to themselves. That includes not showing the code. That includes not defining or publishing the algorithms. That includes anything else they choose to show or withhold from their cherished labors. I believe that their own effort belongs to them to do with as they please. On the other other hand: Without TSCP, Phalanx, and Crafty I would probably never even have thought about trying to write a chess program. I'm slow and methodical about things like that and I expect it will be years before I have something good to show for it. But I expect to innovate and I expect to learn and I expect to teach. And anything I do will be open source (well, once I'm not embarrassed of it, that is). I'm from Missouri. You gots ta show me. Well, you don't really have to but it saves a bunch of time. ;-)
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