lef@nlm-vax.ARPA (Larry Fitzpatrick) (01/03/86)
In article <1270@sdcsvax.UUCP> you write: >In article <831@asgb.UUCP> hageman@asgb.UUCP (George W. Hageman) writes: >> [introductory material]... >> >> IF you find use for this software >> ANDIF it saves you some development time >> THEN send me $10.00 >> ANDTHENHYP you will feel good! > >Oh, God, now shareware starts here. If you think, as do I, that this >request for funds is contrary to the spirit and customs of the Usenet, please >let the author know that you think he's a bad guy. > >Clearly I think its wrong; why? ... Even more basic than the arguments you put forth is the idea that Hageman is using net machines resources to pay for the advertising and distribution costs. Other than that, if the guy wants to make some money, let him. Perhaps all net sites that result in a "sale" should be payed a commission... that would eat into $10 pretty quickly. -fitz lef@nlm-vax
mykes@3comvax.UUCP (Mike Schwartz) (01/15/86)
What's so bad about freeware (begging for money in public domain programs)? I would think that if a guy gets a bunch of money from users of such a program, that he would be encouraged to do more programs. I am not offended by the concept - I look at it as a kind of Gong Show for software. Besides, the only freeware I know of does not prohibit people from changing the source code, only from distributing the changed source code for a profit.