Potentially important real-time on-line discussion

[Gerald W. Lester]

Wojciech Kocjan wrote:

> Kyler Laird wrote:
> 
>> People pay (what I consider to be) lots of money for me to write software
>> for them.  I insist that it be open source (which makes for interesting
>> contract negotiations sometimes).  I would be *thrilled* if someone took
>> my code and used it.  My value is in providing solutions - not shielding
>> intellectual property from use.
>
> While I do agree with you, another problem is that you spent your time 
> and your customer paid you to do the software.

So, if it is open source their maintenance cost has the potential to go 
*way* down and their new features per release has the potential to go *way* up.

> Would it be fair if at this time, some other programmer took your code, 
> added (not replaced) him to the copyright notice, changed about 5 things 
> and charged the same for that?

The company thought they got their value for their dollar -- how is it not 
fair.  All we are talking about at this point is residuals -- and would 
they have received any if they did not open source it. Vs the benefits I 
mentioned above.

> Note that I do not plan to release customer's application as opensource, 
> only parts of it. I think this is a bit better than releasing all of it, 
> since my company and my customer spent a lot of time on developing and 
> facing problems. If some other company wants to solve similar problems, 
> they can always come to me either writing the software, or consulting them.

Ok, you have the tradeoffs mentioned above.  Also if you are consulting, 
having good open source software can be considered a form of advertising 
(people can see what you can do -- and may well pay you for "small" changes 
so they don't have to come up to speed on potential side effects and to 
ensure that the changes will not be conflicting with future development).

-- 
+--------------------------------+---------------------------------------+
| Gerald W. Lester               | "The man who fights for his ideals is |
| Gerald.Lester at cox.net          |  the man who is alive." -- Cervantes  |
+--------------------------------+---------------------------------------+