Re: Enjoy solving problems?


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Re: Enjoy solving problems?



Okay, here's my two bits about whether selling calculator programs is good
or bad.  Certainly, software (productive and entertaining) that is sold in
stores are quite large with a lot of work put into them by many people.
These programs deserve to be bought and sold, even though lots of people
buy a copy and then install it on all their friend's computers.
Calculator programs are like any other program distributed on the internet.
They are usually the product of one person, working in his spare time, who
wrote something that he finds useful and wants to share it with the world.
Given the semi-anarchist theme of the internet, it is proper that these
programs are given away free as freeware, shareware (as if anybody ever
pays), or even nagware (so it asks you to register every time you use it,
I can ignore that).  The internet is more about freely distributing
information than making money.  Making the world a better place by sharing
with others.
Unless you have the product that will replace Windows,
whatever you wrote in your spare time to distribute on the internet isn't
good enough to get money for.  Okay, some people do make money this way,
but only because those people paying them didn't find someone else's free
version of the same thing.
As the sane people remind us, this is a CALCULATOR we are talking about.
Sure, a very powerful calculator, but this ain't no Cray.  It isn't even a
Pentium II or a Nintendo 64.  Even if you write the best program the
calculator has ever seen, it's crap compared to what you can get for other
systems.  Therefore, you shouldn't expect money for it, you shouldn't even
want money for it.  You should just be satisfied with the happiness or
productivity others will get from your creation.
Okay, go ahead and flame me for this, I asked for it.  And I'll tell you up
front: I don't give a damn what you have to say.  Don't start whining to
me that I want to stifle opportunity or some crap. Read my rant again if
it's not clear to you the first time.


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