Sender:	mckee AT rtp DOT gtegsc DOT com
Message-ID:	<333667F7.61C8@rtp.gtegsc.com>
Date:	Mon, 24 Mar 1997 06:39:35 -0500
From:	David McKee <david DOT mckee AT rtp DOT gtegsc DOT com>
Organization:	GTE (My views are my own)
MIME-Version:	1.0
To:	Chris Croughton <crough45 AT amc DOT de>
CC:	djgpp AT delorie DOT com, orly AT gibson DOT eee DOT upd DOT edu DOT ph
Subject:	Re: Req: DOS/DJGPP Quake Makefile
References:	<97Mar21.183831gmt+0100 DOT 16642 AT internet01 DOT amc DOT de>

Chris Croughton wrote:
> 
> On Fri, 21 Mar 1997, Orlando Andico wrote:
> 
> > On Wed, 19 Mar 1997, David McKee wrote:
> >
> 
> > > ...  If I work 18 months on code or 18 months digging a ditch,
> > > I ought to get paid for it (if it's something that people want).
> 
> And if that's the contract you've made.  If you dig a ditch without
> a contract and then say "pay up" then you you have no right to get
> paid for it.  If you make a contract (verbally or in writing, but
> there needs to be some agreement) then you have a right to demand
> payment.
I believe I implied that in the parenthesis "If it is something people
want..." Obviously if it is not, you are simply wasting time.  I thought
that was obvious.
> Of course, you can always stop other people from using your ditch
> without paying if you want (and if you can).  And that's where the
> 'property' aspect comes in, if someone else takes it without your
> permission then it is theft.  You don't have a right to demand payment,
> you do have a right to forbid usage without payment.
> 
> > > If
> > > I am willing to do the work for free, then thats fine, but it should
> > > be the choice of the person who did the work.
> 
> Certainly.  But you also have the choice of whether to use software with
> a built-in contract or not, whether that contract is "pay me before you
> use it" (conventional software sales), "pay me if you like it"
> (shareware)
> or "you must give people your source" (GNU).  No-one's forcing you to
> use
> a GNU compiler; if you choose to use it then you have made a contract to
> provide your sources.
> 
> Or you can use DJGPP which puts no restrictions on what you can do,
> and doesn't even cost you anything apart from the media or net
> and phone transfer costs (over which the author has no control).
No problem here, this is exactly what I have been saying.  
My only difference of opionion is with those who think that it ought not
be --allowed-- (that is the operative word, that implies "government"
control
in some way) to practice software the way large companies do today. 
Heck,
I would not mind creating a large, profitable software company...but
neither
do I mind if that never happens.  What I do not like is not having the 
right to do so.

> Chris

-- David T. McKee: 
-- Think: Innovative Science Learning Systems
--                 Physics, Electrical Science, Computer
--                 Science, Natural Science, Theology
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