From: BlueChip <cs_bluechip_at_webtribe.net>
Date: Sun, 13 Jun 2004 09:27:28 +0100

At 07:55 13/06/04, you wrote:
>BlueChip wrote:
>>Okay ...What's the old phrase? ..."fourth time lucky"? :)
>
>:-)

:-)

>Well, I managed to read the source code,

tut tut tut - naughty boy ;)

>so I guess I'm happy. Just curious, why is it so important that the "user"
>reads the release notes?
>
>I mean, everybody knows that programs are never finished, and that source
>code sometimes is messy.

Vanity. Self Respect. Morals. All purely right-brain based responses. I
cringe every time a bug is found in my released code. On the other hand, I
put a lot of work into Klondike and had to put it on hold; I was asked to
release it as alpha by a few people I had mentioned it to. The rest is, as
they say, history.

>Is it perhaps that you want the reader to read the section where you
>portray yourself as a victim of the GPL and the Rockbox project?

Not at all. I wanted to say that such shoddy source was released under
duress, and said what that duress was. I tried very hard to be fair, in
fact when I converted it from a self extractor and read what I wrote
originally, I edited it for the precise reason of removing risk of that
mis-interpretation.

fwiw I do feel "infected" by the GPL - I believe in free source - I have
never before put restrictions on the use of my released code. I would be
just as proud to find a chunk of my code flying a plane as I would be to
find it in some-bloke's game.

In my world map, being an active anti-capitalist is just as much an
infringment on human rights as being an active capitalist. I would have
preferred that my code were the good old fashioned bona fide free (as in
just plain "free" ...take, enjoy, say nice things about me when I die.)

>I don't get it. If this "alpha" code is so bad, don't publish the binary
>until you're ready to publish the source.

People said "please", I said "okay"?
It inspires me to finish it each time I see it on the website?
Most people, like me, make decisions based on emotional reponses and then
form logical validations for those decision afterwards?
...I dunno really, it just seemed like a good idea at the time.
...And I'm not saying it was the best choice. In fact, using my
supernatural powers of 20:20 hindsight, it clearly wasn't. But, hey, it
won't be my last faux pas before I die; It would be nice if it were the
worst :)

>Why shouldn't you follow the law/license, like everyone else is supposed to?

I am, as far as I know.

>Anyway, the source is there, and you've made your point.

A perfect compromise.

BlueChip


>Linus
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Received on 2004-06-13