Computer Chess Club Archives


Search

Terms

Messages

Subject: Re: Freeware or Privateware?

Author: Pete Galati

Date: 19:37:31 11/25/99

Go up one level in this thread


On November 25, 1999 at 20:31:10, Nicolas Carrasco wrote:

>Hi,
>
>Before writing UruChess, I was decided to make it a freeware engine but now as I
>am finishing UruChess I started thinking the advantages of haveing a privateware
>engine.
>
>Can anyone tell me that Advantages and Disadvanges?
>
>Thanks

Off the top of my head I don't see any advantages of privateware unless you want
to approach it from Bruce's standpoint and don't want to release it as a
Winboard engine, and don't really have time to put together an interface (no
small task).

One posible advantage that I can think of for releasing your program is that you
will receive suggestions and critisism needed to help you improve it, and when
the general public can download a copy of your program you _will_ feel more
obligated to make it good and improve it, and it _will_ get tested against other
programs, so your pride will enter into the equation because you will want your
program to move up the scale strength wise.

I only see advantages (for most programmers) for releasing their program, and if
UruChess only plays on Chess servers or tournaments it holds absolutely no
interest to me at all, and in other words, if I _could_ download Ferret, I
would, and I'd use it if I liked it (probably would), but I can't download
Ferrit so other than being somewhat ammused by that fact, Ferret holds no
interest to me at all, and I feel no need to get a copy either, the same would
apply to UruChess if it was privateware.

Pete



This page took 0 seconds to execute

Last modified: Thu, 15 Apr 21 08:11:13 -0700

Current Computer Chess Club Forums at Talkchess. This site by Sean Mintz.