RPG Code on the NET

[Frank Kolmann <fkolmann@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

"R. Bruce Hoffman, Jr." <rbruceh@ibm.net> wrote:
>
> Problem is, I am not prepared to ship product or support it. I mentioned
> the routines as a design guideline and not an offer of supply.
> With the API's book open, any programmer worth their salt can produce
> the same thing in less than one day.
>

My experiment with publishing source code on the NET as FREE SOFTWARE has
resulted in zero offers to put source code from others on the NET.
I am going to terminate the page.

The questions of SUPPORT, SUPPLY, WARRANTY, COPYRIGHT, COPYLEFT, LIABILITY all
in the end devolve to 'what's in it for me'.

Obviously no one can see the worth of FREE SOFTWARE, particularly if they
cannot make a dollar from it. 

What is the worth of getting free answers to questions posted on the NET?

The end result is that this mercenary attitude will win, but who will be the
victor.  Will it be the RPG coders on the AS400 or will it be the FREE
SOFTWARE operating systems like LINUX, who knows. There are pro's and con's on
both sides that I wont explore.

I believe if the FREE SOFTWARE foundation survives then it must win in the
long run. I have had over 100 hits on the feeble home page I set up with an
unknown number of downloads.  This shows if it is free then it will be
adopted, but who do you sue when things go wrong.
It remains to be seen but IMHO The King is dead (AS400 RPG), Long Live the
KING. (LINUX)


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