[REBOL] Re: free REBOL?
From: rebol:techscribe at: 1-Aug-2003 12:29
Hi Mike.
I don't think that you have provoked any ire whatsoever and - as far as
I'm concerned - you have no reason to apologize.. I have spent a number
of years mulling over this topic, and - without getting into details - I
think the view you present is perfectly leigitimate. There are scenarios
in which what you say makes perfectly sense. Other scenarios do not lend
themselves to this kind of approach. See the mixed model, for instance,
that is used for Tcl. I also feel that there are some important
questions that you should be aware of, and that are just as legitimate.
Anyway, I don't see that RT would stand to gain by giving away their
more feature-rich software for free. Nor do I think that I would gain
by them doing so, because - unless they found some generous sponsor to
make it lucrative for them to continue to improve and enrich REBOL -,
they would have to eventually reduce their support for REBOL and none of
us are served if that happens. If RT is to be successful, then their
efforts to provide a superior development tool, combined with
my/your/other REBOL scripters additional efforts to package RT's
technology as some product that targets the market of technology
consumers, must generate a sufficiently large income stream to support
all participating contributors, namely us, the REBOL scripters, and the
RT team as well.
I think the future of REBOL is of interest to all of us, and it is
useful that we raise this kind of topic on the mailing list. We simply
have to keep in mind that REBOL is not only a scripting language and
interpreter, it is also a team of people that - like all of us - need to
see their efforts rewarded financially, and - as their clients - they
depend on us to make that happen.
I am certain that RT will appreciate any and all bright ideas that will
help them generate a stronger income stream. Giving their software away
for free may - perhaps - not be that bright idea ... ;-) .
Take Care,
;- elan
[mh9831--comcast--net] wrote:
