[NTLK] h*cks, kr*ks, SN

[Riccardo Mori]

quoth Andrei Chichak:

> Unbeknownst to most users, software is a bitch to write. You rarely make enough off of it to pay yourself more than a couple of bucks an hour. In the end, you are left with your copyright and your moral rights. To assume that you can dilute my copyrights through self-ritchous indignation, you tread on my rights, my hard work, and you show disrespect for me. 
> 
> If you ask, I'll probably just give it to you. 

For what it's worth, I fully understand your position, Andrei. That's why I always pay for the software I use. I'll add that, in my experience, writing to the author of a software -- to send compliments and positive feedback, to humbly suggest new features, to ask nicely for a trial without limitations because I wanted to write a review, etc. -- has always paid off and I have had surprising results by playing fairly.

However I will also add that sometimes I don't understand why software authors don't seem to care enough for (some of) their work as to provide a valid address or some form of contact to leave an open channel with those users who are still interested in their software. Isn't that a bit disrespectful towards the users? If an author is no longer interested in making his/her software available, he or she should remove it from its official site, or officially claim that the software is either unavailable or unsupported or both. I really think that this is the least an author should do to show a minimal care for the product of his/her work, and some respect to the users, especially when they still want to obtain the software in a legal/fair way.

My 2 cents,
Rick   

...................................
System Folder - The Platinum Days
<http://systemfolder.wordpress.com>