Digest

[Gerald I. Evenden]

>Date: Thu, 25 Nov 93 16:08:31 +0100
>From: Raymond Venneker <venn at geo.vu.nl>
>To: grassu-list at max.cecer.army.mil
>Subject: Re: Digest
>
>Sorry but...,
>
>I happen to feel strong sympathy for Ron's remark that he does not
>want his contributions to this list be used for profit making. As to
>the status of the list archives, two questions:
	...
>Flames welcome, Raymond

I am going to jump into the middle of this argument because I think
some very naive philosophy is occuring.

I have also been long involved in providing code and other material
which is public domain, uncopywrited and unpatented.  But I also have
absolutely no reservations on the fact that private interests may
use and benefit from this material.  And well they should, because
they often add their own value-add material and bear the expense
of marketing and warrantee.  I do not.

My guiding purpose (or principle) for anything that I contribute to
Internet traffic is that I want to be sure that the basic material is
freely available for all, without encumbrances of licenses or other
restrictions.  This allows others to build on this material and,
hopefully, share their value-added products in a similar manner.

As long as we allow commercial interests access to Internet, anything
written on the net is certainly a candidate for being included as
part of a commercial product.  To think or hope otherwise is
VERY naive and downright foolish.

Gerald (Jerry) I. Evenden   Internet: gie at charon.er.usgs.gov
voice: (508)563-6766          Postal: P.O. Box 1027
  fax: (508)457-2310                  N.Falmouth, MA 02556-1027