Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site myriasb.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!lll-crg!dual!qantel!ihnp4!alberta!myriasb!cg From: cg@myriasb.UUCP (Chris Gray) Newsgroups: net.micro Subject: Re: New ideas on software piracy... Flames welcome. Message-ID: <449@myriasb.UUCP> Date: Tue, 6-Aug-85 16:11:41 EDT Article-I.D.: myriasb.449 Posted: Tue Aug 6 16:11:41 1985 Date-Received: Mon, 12-Aug-85 04:22:38 EDT References: <419@gumby.UUCP> Organization: Myrias Research, Edmonton Lines: 37 The basic problem with the notion of free software for the masses is that the lack of remuneration will result in a sharp decrease in the amount of quality software available. Is this desireable? Consider the following hypothetical example: Whizz programmer Joe buys himself a micro and learns all about it. He works for a big outfit that uses computers a lot, so he has, over the years, gained a lot of experience in programming. In his spare time he writes some good software for his micro. He can't spend too much time at it, though, since he spends his days programming at work. He gets paid fairly well and has saved up a nestegg. He decides to quit and go it alone as a software developer for micros. He can then dedicate his full attention and time (and his vast experience) towards creating GOOD software for micros. If he cannot get adequate remuneration for his efforts (assuming what he does is really of value, and he hasn't just been goofing off reading news), he will have to get another job to support himself, thus resulting in less time for work on micro software. He thus may not be able to complete the great programs he has been working on, nor will he be able to put in all of the various improvements and optimizations he has thought of. Basically, writing good software is a full-time job for experienced professionals. If proper payment for such software is not forthcoming, then the software will simply not be produced. I don't think we want to leave the support of programming upto the government, so it has to be private enterprise. Perhaps I'm a bit of a snob-programmer, but I firmly believe that 99.9% of the good software out there has been produced by or reworked by professionals. People talk about the "vast quantities of high-quality public-domain software". There are a few examples I've heard of, but I've also SEEN vast quantities of junk. Also, we must distinguish between public-domain software and "shareware" (or whatever) where happy users are requested to send a contribution. The latter is simply commercialism under a different name, and I think it has excellent possibilities. Chris Gray (ihnp4!alberta!myrias!cg)