ZiggY!! Posted November 16, 2006 Report Posted November 16, 2006 Well? Coding isn't a particularly quick skill to learn. Do you think its uncouth if someone who doesn't know how to code offers a little reward to the person who takes the time to do it? Obviously, once the code is complete it will be offered as open source for anyone to use as they wish. The project it is being used in won't be anything other than a one-off for personal use. Don't get me wrong, I haven't does this... but i have considered it. At the same time however, I don't want to step on anyone's toes. Do you think it is immoral to offer beer money in exchange for a helping hand? Quote
fluke Posted November 16, 2006 Report Posted November 16, 2006 I don't think it's uncouth. Considering where you are, rather than cash, you should be offering hard to find knobs or sacks of dual-colour LEDs. :) Quote
stryd_one Posted November 16, 2006 Report Posted November 16, 2006 I hope not, I donate to TK and TwinX as much as I can! That reminds me.... Quote
th0mas Posted November 16, 2006 Report Posted November 16, 2006 I think it's wrong if you pay some profiteering person money to do a slight change to an open-source program that other people have worked hard on. For example, if you paid someone to make a minor change to a midibox application, they just profited on what is around 99% (or probably higher) the work of Thorsten - who just happens to be cool enough to make the code open source. Quote
ZiggY!! Posted November 16, 2006 Author Report Posted November 16, 2006 I think it's wrong if you pay some profiteering person money to do a slight change to an open-source program that other people have worked hard on. For example, if you paid someone to make a minor change to a midibox application, they just profited on what is around 99% (or probably higher) the work of Thorsten - who just happens to be cool enough to make the code open source.I hear what you are saying. If I asked someone to give me a hand to do something and they responded "its going to cost you" I certianly wouldn't be comfortable with it. That is definately profiteering. But what if someone has given me a hand to do something and as an expression of my appreciation I offered them a small reward - IE. Lunch and a few beers if they came to my place to give me a hand or if proximity is an issue, sending them a few parts or some money for parts or beer to help with their next midibox project. Like has been mentioned, even TK and TwinX are open to expressions of appreciation Quote
stryd_one Posted November 16, 2006 Report Posted November 16, 2006 Yeh... You'll know if it's "right" or not... Quote
Mr modnaR Posted November 16, 2006 Report Posted November 16, 2006 i'm on the lookout for a starter motor for my UFO, so, if anyone needs helps building their midibox, you know what to get me. ;) ;D nah, i think this is one of those things where, if both people are polite, it'll happen the right way, ie one gets helped, the other gets dosh/beer/parts. problems arise if one thinks 'oh, but he didn't help me enough' or 'the last one didn't show his appreciation, so i'm gonna charge this sucker double'. best thing to do is to ask the person what they think, or at least enquire if there's anything that they need. also, if you're being helped, allow the helper to 'defer' his favour, it might be more convenient for both parties, plus it makes you feel like you're in the mafia. [/random tangent] Quote
Therezin Posted November 16, 2006 Report Posted November 16, 2006 I'd say it's OK as long as the amount offered is appropriate - if someone does me a favour, I have no problem in buying them a beer or two. Quote
stryd_one Posted November 16, 2006 Report Posted November 16, 2006 plus it makes you feel like you're in the mafia. [/random tangent]LOL Quote
DavidBanner Posted November 16, 2006 Report Posted November 16, 2006 anyone know where I can get a digital horses head?I need to make someone an offer they can't re-fuse.... Quote
Wilba Posted November 16, 2006 Report Posted November 16, 2006 I assume the voting question was specific to writing code as part of a MIDIbox project.Generally I try to participate in this "gift economy" (like in the Mars trilogy) where I share what I produce just like TK and the rest, so we all collectively can build things that are bigger than what one person could do alone. It is all "open source" only to a degree, because we also don't want people producing MIOS-based hardware and selling them on eBay, i.e. others shouldn't be making a profit on the sum of all the work done so far.But "rewarding" someone just for their time in coding something, that's different, isn't it? You are not paying them for the sum of all the source code. The programmer is not passing off MIOS etc. as his own work and selling it. If the result is also made open source, that's nice and in the MIDIbox spirit, but not really relevant.Furthermore, at the scale we're talking about here, it's just an exchange of favours not full time employment. Say you really want to make a custom MIDIbox, perhaps if you give the programmer enough components to make one himself, he'll help with the coding part, you put the result on the wiki so everyone benefits, and everyone's happy. Quote
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