Re: [pygame] Game demo for review

["David Mikesell" <dave_mikesell@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Guys, please, I don't need the free software lectures.  I understand why
you believe what you do, it's just not for me.  It's not so much being
afraid that my code will be stolen, it's the loss of control of the
project.  I'm trying to get out of the corporate world for this very
reason.  The last thing I want is 100 other developers working on my
personal projects.

If that seems selfish, well, you're right - it is.  ;-)

On Thu, 12 Jan 2006 11:05:42 -0600, "Richard Norton"
<rwtnorton@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> said:
> On 2006-Jan-12, at 04:33, Troels Therkelsen wrote:
> 
> > David Mikesell wrote:
> >
> >> Thanks, but I'm not looking to make this an open source project and am
> >> initially only targeting the Windows market.
> >>
> >> So, does anyone out there use Windows?
> >>
> >>
> > There's two things I foolishly feel compelled to say at this point.  
> > I'm probably going to regret it, and people are probably going to 
> > think I'm some sort of brainwashed OSS zealot.  But here's what I 
> > think:
> >
> > First, closed source does not mean people won't reverse engineer your 
> > game and copy it (especially if your platform is Python/pygame -- 
> > Python is very easy to decompile).  In other words, if you have 
> > written some truly ingenius code, it will be easy for other people to 
> > rip you off, closed source or not.  The way to deal with this is not 
> > trying to keep your code hidden, because all code can be reverse 
> > engineered, but instead get proper legal counsel so you know which 
> > legal actions you can take to protect your intellectual property.  
> > Security through obscurity is no security.
> >
> > Secondly, open source does not mean you can't make money off your 
> > game.  Again, if your game is truly worth it, people will be willing 
> > to pay for it -- regardless of whether they can read the source code 
> > or not.  Being able to download a limited shareware version of your 
> > game has nothing to do with whether you ship the source for the game.  
> > In general, however, making any significant amount of money off 
> > end-user applications (games or otherwise) as an independant software 
> > developer, is unlikely (but certainly possible).  Don't mean to burst 
> > your bubble, but that's just how it is.
> >
> > Now, I realise that it's your privilege to write closed source 
> > applications (whatever your reasons for doing so), and honestly, I 
> > welcome more commercially successful games written in Python/Pygame 
> > whether they are open or closed source.
> >
> > However, it's also my privilege to deny you my help because you have 
> > decided to write a closed source application.
> >
> > Best wishes,
> >
> > /Troels Therkelsen
> >
> >
> 
> I'm a bit late in this, but I agree whole-heartedly with Troels. The 
> choice is ultimately yours (as it should be). You will definitely 
> foster more support (and trust and respect) from other programmers if 
> you were to make the source available.
> 
> Have you ever wondered why this is? Ever wondered why open source and 
> free software folks get so worked up on stuff like this? If so (and 
> you're still wondering), you might want to take a look at these:
>    http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/why-free.html
>    http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/hacker-howto.html
> [This is me trying to be descriptive and not, not, NOT prescriptive; do 
> what you like.]
> 
> Again, more power to you, whatever path you take.
> 
> Richard the almost-zealot
>