Protect yourself - download the source code
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PoweredByOtgc wrote:
I will only adapt and/or purchase a third party control if the source is available and clearly illustrated that I can do anything I want to the code as long as it does not end up competing with the original product, much like DevExpress.
Nice to have but sometimes you have no choice or the company charges a ridiculous premium for the source. For component vendors it's becoming more and more standard to include source code and that will likely increase going forward, not so much for the ultimate end producer of the software that consumes those components though.
PoweredByOtgc wrote:
A company who offers the source code along with the product illustrates that they stand behind there product and they are ensuring there customers interests come first. Microsoft is a prime example there best interests is there bank account nothing more nothing less
I don't agree with that, we're closed source for many very good reasons, our bank account is not at the top of those reasons. We're doing very well right now but if it ever came to having to shut down for whatever reason we would open source at that point if we could legally do it just out of common courtesy. In some ways offering the source code could be seen as an admission of a lack of confidence to a business customer particularly. It's easy to offer the source code when you're not a market leader or not in it for profit, it's very difficult to make that decision in other circumstances. I think it would be nice if there were a legal framework in place to hold source code in escrow and automatically release it if the company shut down.
"It's so simple to be wise. Just think of something stupid to say and then don't say it." -Sam Levenson
John C wrote:
I think it would be nice if there were a legal framework in place to hold source code in escrow and automatically release it if the company shut down.
Couldn't your lawyer provide one on request?
Today's lesson is brought to you by the word "niggardly". Remember kids, don't attribute to racism what can be explained by Scandinavian language roots. -- Robert Royall
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With the way the economy is going and the prevalence of 3rd party software people are integrating into their software these days I think it might be a good time to ensure you have the source code where available for anything you integrate into your software. We use components from Telerik, DevExpress and Infragistics along with some other stuff and though I have the source code available to me I traditionally ignore it as unnecessary but I'm thinking now it would be a good idea to archive it just in case. You never know when one of those companies is going to suddenly shut their doors forever and you don't want to be left without the source code if that happens.
"It's so simple to be wise. Just think of something stupid to say and then don't say it." -Sam Levenson
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John C wrote:
I think it would be nice if there were a legal framework in place to hold source code in escrow and automatically release it if the company shut down.
Couldn't your lawyer provide one on request?
Today's lesson is brought to you by the word "niggardly". Remember kids, don't attribute to racism what can be explained by Scandinavian language roots. -- Robert Royall
No because currently there is no legal framework, let's say a company goes bankrupt, they owe debts, a trustee freezes their assets for auctioning off or whatever, the source code is one of those assets. Let's say no one buys the source code, it still may not belong to the company to do what they want with. I'm saying a law that protects customers by making source code legally distributable in those circumstances. It's not a lawyer thing it's a lawmaker thing.
"It's so simple to be wise. Just think of something stupid to say and then don't say it." -Sam Levenson
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Has anyone? I've heard rumors, but you know...
¡El diablo está en mis pantalones! ¡Mire, mire! SELECT * FROM User WHERE Clue > 0 0 rows returned Save an Orange - Use the VCF! VCF Blog Just Say No to Web 2 Point Oh
Jim Crafton wrote:
Has anyone? I've heard rumors, but you know...
It's just a flesh wound!
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Jim Crafton wrote:
Has anyone? I've heard rumors, but you know...
It's just a flesh wound!
You're a loony!
¡El diablo está en mis pantalones! ¡Mire, mire! SELECT * FROM User WHERE Clue > 0 0 rows returned Save an Orange - Use the VCF! VCF Blog Just Say No to Web 2 Point Oh
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You're a loony!
¡El diablo está en mis pantalones! ¡Mire, mire! SELECT * FROM User WHERE Clue > 0 0 rows returned Save an Orange - Use the VCF! VCF Blog Just Say No to Web 2 Point Oh
Ironically, it's the only way I can stay sane. Well now, that's clear as mud. :rolleyes:
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Ironically, it's the only way I can stay sane. Well now, that's clear as mud. :rolleyes:
I'm glad we've got that out of the way, maybe now we can make some real headway.
¡El diablo está en mis pantalones! ¡Mire, mire! SELECT * FROM User WHERE Clue > 0 0 rows returned Save an Orange - Use the VCF! VCF Blog Just Say No to Web 2 Point Oh
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I'm glad we've got that out of the way, maybe now we can make some real headway.
¡El diablo está en mis pantalones! ¡Mire, mire! SELECT * FROM User WHERE Clue > 0 0 rows returned Save an Orange - Use the VCF! VCF Blog Just Say No to Web 2 Point Oh
Jim Crafton wrote:
maybe now we can make some real headway
That ranks up there with "Mission Accomplished". ;P
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Jim Crafton wrote:
maybe now we can make some real headway
That ranks up there with "Mission Accomplished". ;P
Well it's better than "I've executed on all my actionable items". I heard that on the elevator a week or so ago and almost fell over laughing at the guy.
¡El diablo está en mis pantalones! ¡Mire, mire! SELECT * FROM User WHERE Clue > 0 0 rows returned Save an Orange - Use the VCF! VCF Blog Just Say No to Web 2 Point Oh
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No because currently there is no legal framework, let's say a company goes bankrupt, they owe debts, a trustee freezes their assets for auctioning off or whatever, the source code is one of those assets. Let's say no one buys the source code, it still may not belong to the company to do what they want with. I'm saying a law that protects customers by making source code legally distributable in those circumstances. It's not a lawyer thing it's a lawmaker thing.
"It's so simple to be wise. Just think of something stupid to say and then don't say it." -Sam Levenson
Hmm, a useful concept/law that would require Congress to actually implement it? Pfft, never happen.
¡El diablo está en mis pantalones! ¡Mire, mire! SELECT * FROM User WHERE Clue > 0 0 rows returned Save an Orange - Use the VCF! VCF Blog Just Say No to Web 2 Point Oh
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Well it's better than "I've executed on all my actionable items". I heard that on the elevator a week or so ago and almost fell over laughing at the guy.
¡El diablo está en mis pantalones! ¡Mire, mire! SELECT * FROM User WHERE Clue > 0 0 rows returned Save an Orange - Use the VCF! VCF Blog Just Say No to Web 2 Point Oh
:OMG: where do people come up with this stuff ... I would have said "Sheese man! That's a bit harsh, don't you think? I generally just give mine a stern talking to", and then walk off. Just to mess with his head. :-D
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Hmm, a useful concept/law that would require Congress to actually implement it? Pfft, never happen.
¡El diablo está en mis pantalones! ¡Mire, mire! SELECT * FROM User WHERE Clue > 0 0 rows returned Save an Orange - Use the VCF! VCF Blog Just Say No to Web 2 Point Oh
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With the way the economy is going and the prevalence of 3rd party software people are integrating into their software these days I think it might be a good time to ensure you have the source code where available for anything you integrate into your software. We use components from Telerik, DevExpress and Infragistics along with some other stuff and though I have the source code available to me I traditionally ignore it as unnecessary but I'm thinking now it would be a good idea to archive it just in case. You never know when one of those companies is going to suddenly shut their doors forever and you don't want to be left without the source code if that happens.
"It's so simple to be wise. Just think of something stupid to say and then don't say it." -Sam Levenson
I agree with you fully and I try to take things one step farther : I only use components whose source code is available and then when I get it I attempt to rebuild it. If it doesn't successfully build (which actually has happened) I either beat on them until I get a version that will or I tweak it myself until it will build and then I always deploy the version that I built. In the few cases I have had where I had to give up on the tweaking I returned the package and obtained a refund. In one particular case my customer demanded that I use a third-party package and the source code was not rebuildable so I told them, sorry, they are not a reliable vendor because their source code won't even build and the situation was rectified in short order. In turns out that my customer never even checked out the source code so they were a bit surprised but they sure jumped on that vendor. I was glad to see it.