Re: The nature of the beast

From: silver@phoenyx.net (Karen J. Cravens)

Date: Tue, 23 Feb 1999 00:00:00 +0000

In article <7ak226$cqa$1@tines.hsc.fr>, archer@hsc.fr (Vincent Archer) wrote:
<a lot of valid stuff, which I snipped to borrow the message
since Henry's didn't make it to my server>

>Henry Penninkilampi (htp@dove.net.au) wrote:
>> Oh, there might be some rich kids who were born into wealth and, as a
>> result, don't have to worry about earning a living.  These sorts of people
>> are the most likely source of consistently GOOD free software - they have
>> the technological resources, the private education, and the time.  A less
>> consistent source of GOOD free software is the middle-class,
>> socially-challenged geek.  These sorts of people tend to have limited
>> funds (but just enough to get by), a public education, and plenty of free
>> time because they don't have (what society calls) a life.  (Members of
>> this latter group, by the way, are almost totally responsible for Linux -
>> a free operating system, one of the best (IMHO) Unix variants around, and
>> a shining example of open-source software.)
>>
>> Apart from these socio-economic groups, you're not going to squeeze much
>> out of the rest of society, who are all to busy earning a living to spend
>> thousands of hours building a game to give away for nothing.

<amused look> It's a nice stereotype, and once in awhile it's
true.  The thing of it is, Real Programmers will program because
that's what they do.  It's entirely possible to have a life
outside it (I do, but will refrain from posting my resume/CV
unless asked), but we'll still write programs regardless of
whether we're paid for it.

It drives Microsoft nuts, but that's the way it is.

There are people like that in every field/hobby... it's just that
programmers can share the fruits of their labors without
significant additional cost.

--  Karen Cravens      | Phoenyx PBeM RPG Listserver: majordomo@phoenyx.net
    silver@phoenyx.net | http://www.phoenyx.net/
      Today is the first day of the rest of your sentence.

References

The nature of the beast
htp@dove.net.au (Henry Penninkilampi)
Thu, 18 Feb 1999 00:00:00 +0000
Re: The nature of the beast
Andrei Jirnyi <jonn@i-connect.ru>
Wed, 17 Feb 1999 00:00:00 +0000
Re: The nature of the beast
htp@dove.net.au (Henry Penninkilampi)
Thu, 18 Feb 1999 00:00:00 +0000
Re: The nature of the beast
Andrei Jirnyi <jonn@i-connect.ru>
Thu, 18 Feb 1999 00:00:00 +0000
Re: The nature of the beast
htp@dove.net.au (Henry Penninkilampi)
Fri, 19 Feb 1999 00:00:00 +0000
Re: The nature of the beast
David desJardins <desj@math.berkeley.edu>
Thu, 18 Feb 1999 00:00:00 +0000
Re: The nature of the beast
htp@dove.net.au (Henry Penninkilampi)
Fri, 19 Feb 1999 00:00:00 +0000
Re: The nature of the beast
archer@hsc.fr (Vincent Archer)
Fri, 19 Feb 1999 00:00:00 +0000

Referenced By

The nature of the beast
htp@dove.net.au (Henry Penninkilampi)
Thu, 18 Feb 1999 00:00:00 +0000
Re: The nature of the beast
Andrei Jirnyi <jonn@i-connect.ru>
Wed, 17 Feb 1999 00:00:00 +0000
Re: The nature of the beast
htp@dove.net.au (Henry Penninkilampi)
Thu, 18 Feb 1999 00:00:00 +0000
Re: The nature of the beast
Andrei Jirnyi <jonn@i-connect.ru>
Thu, 18 Feb 1999 00:00:00 +0000
Re: The nature of the beast
htp@dove.net.au (Henry Penninkilampi)
Fri, 19 Feb 1999 00:00:00 +0000
Re: The nature of the beast
David desJardins <desj@math.berkeley.edu>
Thu, 18 Feb 1999 00:00:00 +0000
Re: The nature of the beast
htp@dove.net.au (Henry Penninkilampi)
Fri, 19 Feb 1999 00:00:00 +0000
Re: The nature of the beast
archer@hsc.fr (Vincent Archer)
Fri, 19 Feb 1999 00:00:00 +0000