Author: Bella Freud
Date: 08:19:27 11/14/99
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On November 14, 1999 at 08:55:41, Vincent Diepeveen wrote: >On November 14, 1999 at 00:53:54, odell hall wrote: > >> >> >> Would someone please explain to me the psychology or motivations behind >>programmers who refuse to make their program available to the public. In my view >>this attitude or lack of sharing, is no less than criminal, perhaps these words >>are too strong, but these are exactly my sentiments. I guess I thought Money was >>the drive behind all actions, that programmers would not be able to refuse the >>allure of the might dollar. Take for instance Ferret, and Tiger, one wonders if >>these programmers are rich and simply do not need the money. Certainly most of >>us would purchase these programs if they became availble. Or is it that these >>Programmers have a need to "totally" control their programs. Then they won't >>have to worry about disappointing results, since they control all the conditions >>themselves. Or they won't have to worry about people setting up matches against >>strong humans without their approval or supervision. I don't know about >>anyoneelse but if I was blessed with the talent of exceptional programming I >>would certainly share it with the public and make a little money on the side. > >Trying myselve to make a GUI for my program i find this email >as written above by Odell completely insane. > >It's very hard to make a GUI that can sell some copies. If someone >doesn't want to sell his/her program and spare the effort and just >prefers to play with his program without ever releasing it, then >i can understand that completely. > >What you demand here is another talent: > - everyone must make a GUI > >Secondly you find it logically that you get access to >any program which is also an insane thought. > >Another very good reason why one should not sell a program is >because one gets always compared with Fritz, Chessmaster or >any other commercial program, preferably playing in a winboard >tournament at 5 minutes a move at a k6-300, or at 'carefully' >selected 'nunn test positions' or something idiotic like that. I think you are quite right about this. Why expose yourself to needless attack. One effect of moderation of personal attacks is that personal attacks are switched to proxy attack by attacking your opponent's program. I would imagine that these attacks are even more difficult for the programmer than direct personal abuse. At least, in the latter case, the programmer can just fire some abuse back. In the former she is put entirely on the defensive. I have even observed protagonists here (when they are program supporters, rather than programmers) attack each other by attacking each others favourite program. All very silly in my opinion. Bella
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