Quote:
The idea is admirable, but I've read licence.txt and I'm wondering why isn't it open source? I'd be interested to know why you made that choice.
To date, I have released three free software applications to the philatelic community: AlbumEasy (open source), followed by ImageSleuth and ChromaMate (both closed source).
As a developer, my expectations for releasing AlbumEasy as open source were twofold. I had hoped to attract contributions to the code from other developers, and, as I make my living from hardware and software contracting, I had also hoped to attract paid work. Regretably, not only were my expectations not met, but there was also a considerable downside for me.
In the 12 years since I first released AlbumEasy as open source, I have received only ONE contribution to the code. Yet I have wasted countless hours with potential contributors. Walking them through setting up a development environment, guiding them through sections of the code, and having protracted back-and-forth discussions of how a feature should be implemented.
And then, only for them to lose interest and simply disappear into the ether, or, as has happened on a number of occasions, present me with a chunk of undocumented code that: "sort of works, there are still a few bugs, but I'm sure that you can sort it out".
But what I find especially galling, and to be fair, this applies to all of my free software, not just open source, is the sense of entitlement many users seem to have.
I do offer free support. When contacted with a query, I always respond, often on the same day. Yet, many times, my response is not even acknowledged, let alone a thank you.
But even worse are the complaints, some of which are quite objectionable; emails along the lines of "You should be ashamed of yourself for releasing such rubbish. I wasted 30 minutes of my valuable time trying to get your junk software to work" needless to say I haven't included the choice words not appropriate for a family friendly forum, which often accompany these missives. Unfortunately, far too many people seem to lose all inhibition hidden behind the anonymity of a generic email address.
There is also, of course, a financial aspect. For various reasons, although I am well past retirement age, I find myself in the unfortunate situation of still needing to earn an income, while at the same time I have invested thousands of hours in developing free software.
As closed source, my free software remains an asset that could potentially have tangible value; as open source, it is valueless.
With software that has value, while highly improbable, it is not beyond the realms of possibility that a catalogue publisher, or even one of the larger auction houses, might one day choose to diversify into software and purchase my small portfolio of philatelic applications - we can all dream
So now that I've given you the reasons I haven't released it as open source, I would be interested to know whether you still think I should, and, if so, why?
Clive
Posted 12/02/2025 9:59 pm
