jirwin@psuvax.UUCP (06/05/83)
Newsgroups: net.games.rogue
Subject: Re: Glenn's version of Rogue
References: <1039@fortune.UUCP>
Perhaps this really belongs in "net.flame", but here goes...
(FLAME ON)
Glenn mentioned in his letter that he wanted his changes to 5.2
to be incorporated in the "OFFICIAL" (notice the quotes) version of
5.4 (or whatever the new number is). Well -- what exactly IS the
"OFFICIAL" version of rogue??? I sure haven't seen any CSR's (Commitees
for the Standardization of Rogue) around. Just who determines just what
IS the official version anyway?
Well, in my book, the majority rules. Obviously if everybody had a
copy of super rogue 19,392.22, it would become the official, commonly
played version. But the reason such versions do NOT become the standard
is simply that NOONE has them! After all, just how many of us HAVE 8.4
anyway??? Thus, the easiest way to see your changes become standard is to
distribute them to as many systems as possible.
(FLAME up another notch) Glenn then goes on to say that he doesn't
have the "facilities" (I always thought that was a building) to give away
rogue to everyone. Well, that's about the most ridiculous statement to
come over the net in several weeks. Hey Glenn -- Remember "net.sources"???
That funny place where new software is supposed to go??
To that argument, many would answer that they can't send sources over
the net. After all, it's their software!
--- So what???
+++ Well, someone might copy my program and sell or distribute it under
their name.
If anyone out there would like to do such a thing, they are totally
and completely out of their minds. Why copy a public-domain piece of soft-
ware anyway??? What's the point??? You can get it for free!
Also on the side of net distribution of sources is that, despite some
popular myths, not everyone on the net has a vaxen. Some even
work on micros, or in my case a pdp-11/34 with no split I&D. Also, ever
try to modify a binary source??? Lot's of fun, isn't it???
So in conclusion Glenn -- Why don't you just get together with Ken for
a nice talk, and then distribute rogue over the net??? It would save us
all a lot of hassle and magtape.
John Irwin
Pennsylvania State University
{allegra, burdvax}!psuvax!jirwin