🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <TOMS.92Aug18113427@pdx069.intel.com> toms@pdx069.intel.com (Tom Shott) writes:
>My understanding is most shareware never
>really makes any money but it does stiffle improvments.  It's information
>hoarding.

This isn't true of shareware per se; it's true for shareware where the
source is not distributed.  You could do UNIX crippleware,  but I doubt
anyone would not distribute the uncrippled version.

>Let's hope there is never a good way to provide shareware on UNIX.

There is;  distribute the program with the request for bucks if the user
likes it.  It may not bring in a whole lot of money,  but shareware games
rarely do -- especially considering the size and nature of your audience.
A large percentage of the UNIX users I know would be willing to write or
help write games themselves, with only the time commitment as a possible
obstacle.  What with xtank, xbattle, crossfire, nethack, empire and the
like, there doesn't seem to be a shortage of people interested in writing
UNIX games for free already, so I doubt shareware is going to do very
well.

   -Andrew Bell
bell@cs.unc.edu