Why are newton developers such greedy pigs?

[iamdigitalman]

This is a subject that has been picking at me for some time. I have noticed very little "free" software for my newtons, most of it is shareware. What is worse is the limitations they impose, and since the newton is no longer as popular platform as it once was, it is near impossible to register the software to unlock it fully.

Here is just a short list of what I have seen:

-The wavelan driver has not been updated in over 5 years, registration is closed, and an unregistered copy can not support WEP encryption.

-the ATA driver has not been updated in almost 5 years, it costs $60 for the full version, and the limited version can't use more than 4mb. This presents a lot of wasted space on my 128mb CF card I use in my 2000.

-Chatbuddy has not seen any development since 1998, and the latest version times out after just a few sessions. It also can not be registered, since the phone number is dead as well as the website.

There are, of course, many other examples, but these are the three biggest pieces of software I use on my newtons. There are no free replacements, nor can they be unlocked anymore.

Anyone have any thoughts or suggestions?

-digital

 

[porter]

Anyone have any thoughts or suggestions?

... and so began the quest of Richard Stahlman for free software.

I doubt if many of those newton developers still have a working development environment to rebuild the code without locks.

 

[II2II]

That isn't a problem limited to the Newton. The Amiga shares it. MS-DOS shares it.

In a sense, I would argue that our sense of entitlement is a form of greed. Though, on the whole, I think that concepts like open source and Free software are best solution (our sense of entitlement is matched by the developer's desire to share).

 

[Christopher]

You mean iSerial doesn't help?

 

[Unknown_K]

Personally you can either track down the original developer through the internet and get the software registered, or just pirate it.

I don't think developers are greedy pigs, if they can make a profit on software they will and if they cannot they abandon it. There are plenty of people who code free utilities for fun, but I don't expect people do it when they get bored of it and move on to something else.

 

[Da Penguin]

They walk a very fine line in the current state as well. They need to prevent piracy and create funds to continue such niche software. But the moment they go under or are not utilized enough, these mechanisms then go unchecked as the developer disappears or moves on. I don't think wavelan and chatbuddy were designed and planned to be left abandoned and unusable without updates. It just happens with such a small community. I agree it sucks, but I know in the wavelan case in particular, it is more work to fix it than the developer has time for.

TBird

 

[porter]

I have noticed very little "free" software for my newtons, most of it is shareware.

How much software have you written and distributed for free?

 

[Quadraman]

This is a subject that has been picking at me for some time. I have noticed very little "free" software for my newtons, most of it is shareware. What is worse is the limitations they impose, and since the newton is no longer as popular platform as it once was, it is near impossible to register the software to unlock it fully.
Here is just a short list of what I have seen:

-The wavelan driver has not been updated in over 5 years, registration is closed, and an unregistered copy can not support WEP encryption.

-the ATA driver has not been updated in almost 5 years, it costs $60 for the full version, and the limited version can't use more than 4mb. This presents a lot of wasted space on my 128mb CF card I use in my 2000.

-Chatbuddy has not seen any development since 1998, and the latest version times out after just a few sessions. It also can not be registered, since the phone number is dead as well as the website.

There are, of course, many other examples, but these are the three biggest pieces of software I use on my newtons. There are no free replacements, nor can they be unlocked anymore.

Anyone have any thoughts or suggestions?

-digital

How many Newton developers still exist? They are developing for a dead platform with little competition so they can charge whatever they like for their products. It's supply and demand. If the dev is no longer supporting the product and won't let you unlock their crippleware versions, you can always try to hack it to remove the protection.

 

[Bunsen]

I have noticed very little "free" software for my newtons, most of it is shareware.

How much software have you written and distributed for free?

Yeah! Quit yer whinin' and get codin'

 

[II2II]

Yeah! Quit yer whinin' and get codin'

The last time I did that, a computer howled in pain. And that was just six lines of code.

 

[Quadraman]

In spite of what I said above, I do think that if a programmer ceases support of a product they should either make an unprotected full version available for distribution or else continue to provide unlock codes for either free or a minimal fee for anyone who wants one because frequently non-commercial software is the only software available that does what you want to do and once it is no longer supported and the only versions available are crippled or protected then everyone is stuck without it's use until someone writes a new program to fill the gap which may never happen. They should also make provision that in the event of their death their software will be made available in unprotected form.

 

[paws]

http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/why-free.html

 

[Bunsen]

Unfortunately not all programmers have copyright over their own code in the first place. If they're developing to hire, their employer may own the rights, and if the employer folds, those rights can end up in limbo.

 

[Quadraman]

Unfortunately not all programmers have copyright over their own code in the first place. If they're developing to hire, their employer may own the rights, and if the employer folds, those rights can end up in limbo.

I said non-commercial software.

 

[Bunsen]

Sorry, my eyes glaze over at five-line sentences.

 

[TylerEss]

If a programmer ceases support of a product they should either make an unprotected full version available for distribution...their software will be made available in unprotected form.

And in fact, many do. Look at all the Abandonware that's been legally released for old Macs, for example. It just makes us sad pandas when someone forgets to or can't do this.

 

[porter]

I do think that if a programmer ceases support of a product they should either make an unprotected full version available for distribution or else continue to provide unlock codes

Especially dead programmers. It is very rude for them not to have catered for this eventuality in their wills.

 

[Quadraman]

I do think that if a programmer ceases support of a product they should either make an unprotected full version available for distribution or else continue to provide unlock codes

Especially dead programmers. It is very rude for them not to have catered for this eventuality in their wills.

please read my ENTIRE post before commenting. You will see I accounted for this possibility.

 

[II2II]

Please consider that some authors do not want their software to be freely developed after they have abandoned it. It is all fine and dandy to label them as greedy because of that, but I also think that our demands for free software is also a bit greedy. It goes both ways.