🚀 go-pugleaf

eechris@cybaswan.UUCP (cp.jobling eleceng staff) writes:
> From article <DEVEN.90Jan4062647@netserv2.rpi.edu>, by deven@rpi.edu (Deven T. Corzine):
> > 
> > On 23 Dec 89 10:28:41 GMT, jb3o+@andrew.cmu.edu (Jon Allen Boone) said:
> > 
> > Jon> This seems highly unlikely.  Not to cast dispersions on your
> > Jon> programming abilities, but even most *commercial* software needs
> > Jon> support - and very *few* have good documentation.
> > 
> > Most emphatically, *commercial* software != _professional_ software.
> > 
> > Much commercial software is the most poorly written crap I've seen,
> > often worse than PD sw.  Documentation?  *sigh*  Must be a lost art or
> > something...
> > 
> > Deven
> > -- 
> > Deven T. Corzine        Internet:  deven@rpi.edu, shadow@pawl.rpi.edu
> > Snail:  2151 12th St. Apt. 4, Troy, NY 12180   Phone:  (518) 274-0327
> > Bitnet:  deven@rpitsmts, userfxb6@rpitsmts     UUCP:  uunet!rpi!deven
> > Simple things should be simple and complex things should be possible.
> -- 
> ========================================================================
> Chris Jobling, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering,
> University College, Swansea, Singleton Park, Swansea SA2 8PP, UK
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------

thank you Chris...i didn't see that when it was posted originally (if
it ever was! - i don't know...i didn't see it!)

Of course, while i realize that professional software and commercial
software are not the same, the implication was that commercial
software (ie. where someone (managers, publishers, ???) are getting
more than their fare share) would be the "better software", given the
choice between pd and commercial.  

So, when someone then claims that they'll be able to write a program
that is so well done that they won't even need to support it, yet
millions of normal people will be able to use it without naught but
the documentation to go by, i have got to laugh.  After all, i've seen
well done programs, but none that didn't need support or better
documentation or both.

And i know that if someone did write a program that was that good and
put it under the copyleft, then i'd sure as hell send 'em a donation
(as much as i think it's worth) to recompense them.  Would you?

- iain

"things to think about, late at night ..."