new s/w dev with questions...

atomizer · **Joined:** Fri Jun 09, 2006 8:58 am **Posts:** 66

hi all!

i often use this fantastic website when looking for software... but... the tables have turned!

i've been writing small programs for a couple years and now i'm interested in submitting some of these!

i have to say, i'm a bit nervous about the prospect and so i figured i'd post some questions first...

1) licensing: i hate it. i'm not using any licensing ATM. how does TPFC look upon this?
2) i'd like to float my software in a small pond before i risk drowning in an ocean - can i get help with testing without submitting to the database?
3) as the software author, do i have the option of preventing my s/w from entering the database (like if everyone HATES it) :shock:

?
4) i write mostly small windows utilities(1 MB or less so far) - no reg writing without user knowledge, no files written outside of program directory, NO MAL/AD/NAG WARE, no "phoning home" without user approval! i do accept donations and usually display a text link on the GUI (along with support/website links) that directs to my website, but there is NO NAGGING to donate, no restricted functionality, etc.. is this ok?
5) i typically do not support non-unicode windows. i'm a little confused as to how TPFC looks at this.

thanks for reading!

SYSTEM · **Posted:** Thu Feb 10, 2011 12:41 am

atomizer wrote:

hi all!

i often use this fantastic website when looking for software... but... the tables have turned!

i've been writing small programs for a couple years and now i'm interested in submitting some of these!

i have to say, i'm a bit nervous about the prospect and so i figured i'd post some questions first...

1) licensing: i hate it. i'm not using any licensing ATM. how does TPFC look upon this?

Then your programs are freeware. No problem.

atomizer wrote:

2) i'd like to float my software in a small pond before i risk drowning in an ocean - can i get help with testing without submitting to the database?

Yes. You can post to the Portable Freeware Development subforum.

atomizer wrote:

3) as the software author, do i have the option of preventing my s/w from entering the database (like if everyone HATES it) :shock:

?

No. This website even hosts some programs which the authors have tried to pull from the Internet (for example, free versions of applications that have later went payware). However, we don't want to fill the database with junk - if everyone hates a specific application, it won't get a public DB entry.

atomizer wrote:

4) i write mostly small windows utilities(1 MB or less so far) - no reg writing without user knowledge, no files written outside of program directory, NO MAL/AD/NAG WARE, no "phoning home" without user approval! i do accept donations and usually display a text link on the GUI (along with support/website links) that directs to my website, but there is NO NAGGING to donate, no restricted functionality, etc.. is this ok?

Definitely.

atomizer wrote:

5) i typically do not support non-unicode windows. i'm a little confused as to how TPFC looks at this.

thanks for reading!

Does "non-unicode windows" mean the old versions of Windows that don't support Unicode? (Windows Me was last of them.)

Don't worry, requiring "Unicode Windows" isn't a problem at all. Supporting XP, Vista and 7 is enough.

m^(2) · **Posted:** Thu Feb 10, 2011 1:18 am

atomizer wrote:

1) licensing: i hate it. i'm not using any licensing ATM. how does TPFC look upon this?

This way you put users in a tough situation...and unnecessarily risk yourself (because of lack of condemnation clause).
You're giving an implied license to use a program. But what exactly is allowed? I guess that's the question you have troubles answering....but nevertheless I strongly suggest that you pick a license.

webfork · **Posted:** Thu Feb 10, 2011 7:45 am

atomizer wrote:

2) i'd like to float my software in a small pond before i risk drowning in an ocean - can i get help with testing without submitting to the database?
3) as the software author, do i have the option of preventing my s/w from entering the database (like if everyone HATES it)

You're assuming we're a bit more organized than we are. Mostly if your program scratches an itch or grabs someone's attention, you will get help with testing. If the program doesn't have any fans it won't get submitted.

atomizer wrote:

licensing: i hate it. i'm not using any licensing ATM. how does TPFC look upon this?

Personally I prefer open licenses and open software. That doesn't reflect the majority of PFC users, but open software tends to draw more assistance with testing because of the tendency of testers to feel a greater sense of shared ownership of a software they don't feel is under the exclusive possession of the developer.

atomizer · **Joined:** Fri Jun 09, 2006 8:58 am **Posts:** 66

regarding licensing, i guess it may be a necessary evil. i just may go unlicensed for awhile until i decide what i want to do.

for now, the utils i'll be releasing are trivial - any competent s/w dev could replicate some of my stuff in minutes or hours.

i'm well aware of the GPL and i very strongly agree with the principles, but i think i'd like to consider a license that is pretty simple and open-ended, but does not compel me to release source code. so if anyone has a suggestion, i'd be grateful.

SYSTEM wrote:

Does "non-unicode windows" mean the old versions of Windows that don't support Unicode? (Windows Me was last of them.)
Don't worry, requiring "Unicode Windows" isn't a problem at all. Supporting XP, Vista and 7 is enough.

yeah, i compile with unicode support, so the stuff won't run on 95/98/ME, though compiling for the older os's is trivial for... i think... everything i've coded so far

thanks allot for great replies btw

guinness · **Joined:** Mon Aug 27, 2007 2:00 am **Posts:** 3787

Quote:

Personally I prefer open licenses and open software. That doesn't reflect the majority of PFC users.

I am always pro Open Source, but since creating code myself I have been a little reluctant to open it up for everyone to steal the time and effort I have put in.

atomizer · **Joined:** Fri Jun 09, 2006 8:58 am **Posts:** 66

guinness wrote:

I am always pro Open Source, but since creating code myself I have been a little reluctant to open it up for everyone to steal the time and effort I have put in.

that's me exactly and, for myself anyway, i realize that my thinking is utterly flawed.

i think people who share - be it ideas, software, inventions... whatever - will progress far faster as a society in truly meaningful ways than those who patent, protect and hide for monetary gain.

guinness · **Joined:** Mon Aug 27, 2007 2:00 am **Posts:** 3787

Out of curiosity what language do you code in?

m^(2) · **Posted:** Fri Feb 11, 2011 4:05 am

guinness wrote:

Quote:

Personally I prefer open licenses and open software. That doesn't reflect the majority of PFC users.

I am always pro Open Source, but since creating code myself I have been a little reluctant to open it up for everyone to steal the time and effort I have put in.

For me it's the opposite.
I'm glad when people use my work because it means they like it. And it's the same with code and binaries.
When I started programming, I never opened the source because I thought it was bad. I was wrong. It was much worse than 'bad' and I'm glad that I didn't. But now I'm not shy of it and I open everything that I do with either BSD-like licenses or even more permissive ones.

guinness · **Joined:** Mon Aug 27, 2007 2:00 am **Posts:** 3787

Quote:

When I started programming, I never opened the source because I thought it was bad. I was wrong. It was much worse than 'bad' and I'm glad that I didn't. But now I'm not shy of it and I open everything that I do with either BSD-like licenses or even more permissive ones.

I have contributed to Open Source projects before and will continue to do so probably! But my problem is some users don't appreciate that Open Source doesn't pay the bills!

m^(2) · **Posted:** Fri Feb 11, 2011 4:43 am

guinness wrote:

Quote:

When I started programming, I never opened the source because I thought it was bad. I was wrong. It was much worse than 'bad' and I'm glad that I didn't. But now I'm not shy of it and I open everything that I do with either BSD-like licenses or even more permissive ones.

I have contributed to Open Source projects! But my problem is some users don't appreciate that Open Source doesn't pay the bills, so when they use your code with out appreciation is when it becomes a problem.

I don't get what you mean.

guinness · **Joined:** Mon Aug 27, 2007 2:00 am **Posts:** 3787

I updated my previous post! I am saying that Open Source is great if many people are collaborating and have funding, but for one code designer who doesn't get any feedback apart from "it doesn't work" then it seems a little pointless to have an Open Source license!

This is why I asked atomizer what language they use for their applications.

But this is going a little off topic now

m^(2) · **Posted:** Fri Feb 11, 2011 5:48 am

guinness wrote:

I updated my previous post! I am saying that Open Source is great if many people are collaborating and have funding, but for one code designer who doesn't get any feedback apart from "it doesn't work" then it seems a little pointless to have an Open Source license!

This is why I asked atomizer what language they use for their applications.

But this is going a little off topic now

Many projects start small, but grow later. Take Linux for example.

guinness · **Joined:** Mon Aug 27, 2007 2:00 am **Posts:** 3787

If someone shows interest and can help then of course I would consider, but depending on how big I want the project to be I tend to be closed freeware.

webfork · **Posted:** Fri Feb 11, 2011 7:51 am

guinness wrote:

I am always pro Open Source, but since creating code myself I have been a little reluctant to open it up for everyone to steal the time and effort I have put in.

This goes both ways. As a professional tester, I have the same issue. If someone uses my assistance and feedback to create a better program and then decides to go commercial with it later, they've gotten free help with something they will later make money from.

Open source doesn't equal shared ownership, but licenses like the GPL is a good way to encourage collaboration because it makes sure that nobody's going to take all their marbles and go home. If someone DOES walk away (this has happened many times here on the site) and I really like or need a program, I can find a developer to pick up the source code where the original person left off.

new s/w dev with questions...

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