hacks : free or not

[floleb7]

i see some hackers want to sell hacks but can they do this ?
the vb license allow people to sell hacks ?

you can sell a script when you write all the code but hacks cannot work without vb.

Any info about this ?

[Scott MacVicar]

Its their PHP code and their modifications so therefore i think they should have the right to do so.

The liscence agreement doesn't specify the selling of hacks.

[Palmer ofShinra]

So far my big hacks are all basically standalone scripts that interface with the VB, rather than modifying VB code.

Yeah, they modify code a bit, but the core of it is a standalone file.

[floleb7]

yep but just an exemple of karma hack or vbportal.
Without vBulletin they cannot work, but how somebody can sell a script to someone when you need also to pay vb.

[orca]

Originally posted by floleb7
yep but just an exemple of karma hack or vbportal.
Without vBulletin they cannot work, but how somebody can sell a script to someone when you need also to pay vb.

Just to make it a bit clearer: You don't pay for the scripts. You donate to keep up the project. vbPortal 2.01 is available for free. vbPortal will also be free as soon as it gets out of Beta. However, those who don't donate won't get support from phpportals.com

[wajones]

Originally posted by floleb7
yep but just an exemple of karma hack or vbportal.
Without vBulletin they cannot work, but how somebody can sell a script to someone when you need also to pay vb.

Well if you want to look at it that way, if it weren't for php, mysql, the server, it's operation system, your computer, and Microsoft Windows or what ever operation system and browser your using vBulletin wouldn't work. That doesn't mean they can't sell vbulletin.

I'm not defending a particular thing here except the right to get compensated for your time if you feel you want or need compensated.
Just look at it as services rendered, if a particular person writes a hack and you want it. He is of no obligation to give it to you free or otherwise.
On the other hand if he offers it to you for a charge, you are not obligated to buy it.
Just because you want it and you want it free doesn't make it wrong for someone to charge for their services.

[amykhar]

If it were just a matter of developing hacks, I don't think anybody would charge a dime.

However, you also end up supporting any hacks you develop. Quite often, the people that you are supporting have no clue about what they are doing and it ends up becoming a logistical nightmare.

I have seen people struggle just to install the board - to the point of having to pay to have it done, and they they want to dive in and start hacking it up.

Personally, I don't believe an author should release a hack unless they intend to support it. Look at all the abandoned hacks scattered around the forum. There are many hacks with page after page of support questions without a peep from the author in response.

Thus, I would rather have an author release a paid hack, and provide adequate support than see a hack released by somebody who has neither the time nor the inclination to support their work.

On a final note, I tend to think everyone who downloads hacks and uses hacks should be contributing to the hacking community in some way. I am not good enough yet to release anything worthwhile, so I try to help others with questions and problems. Some people are good at graphic arts. Others are good programmers. Everyone in this community has some talent or resource that can be shared.

Amy

[floleb7]

Originally posted by wajones


Just because you want it and you want it free doesn't make it wrong for someone to charge for their services.

No no no

i never said that i wnt free hack so charge service was a mistake.
I just want to know if something in the license talk about that.
Because the hack community grow up but if everybody do something different it will become a big mess

[Admin]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by amykhar
If it were just a matter of developing hacks, I don't think anybody would charge a dime.

[amykhar]

Firefly,
I never said it was easy :D It's just fun. I don't mind doing fun things, and don't generally think about asking to get paid for things I enjoy doing. Hmmm, maybe that's why I'm so damn broke. :D

Amy

[Palmer ofShinra]

I feel the same way Amy.

The two hacks I've released aren't big and complex... but they are nice and useful, and in the case of the Points system, appearently in high demand.

The only large hacks I've written are heavily slanted for my own forum exclusively and a lot of stuff is hardcoded into it that wouldn't port over.

I'd want a few bucks if someone wanted me to rewrite my Store for their forum... it would take days to do and I'm a poor stay-at-home father.

I've gotten several hacks off of here... and by writing a few and releasing them for free... I feel I'm paying the community back in a way.
As well, I'm not only having fun, I'm learning. Which is payment enough.

[Admin]

I know this will sound greedy, but if you're doing something you like and you can also get paid for doing it, you have to be the happiest person alive - you got a job you enjoy doing! :)

I didn't say every hack should be commercialized of course!
That'd suck.

[amykhar]

I agree totally Chen. I am not speaking out against charging for hacking services. If you are good enough to do it, I say more power to you.

The point of my post was to JUSTIFY charging for creating hacks. Supporting a hack is time consuming and utterly unfun. I can see why some of the hackers are moving to charging for their time and effort.

The way I see it, free hacks are a gift that we share with one another. Nobody has the right to demand that a programmer give his time for free.

Perhaps a good model for some major hacks would be to release the hack for free, but charge for support (other than bug fixes). I don't have the slightest clue how this could be implemented :D

Amy

[TuKo]

(sorry for my bad english)

I don't think paying hacks are good. I think it would be better if users can choose to pay or not, like apps like mIRC. I'm sure people will do it if they like some hacks.

[amykhar]

Ok. Here's a question for you.

Let's say somebody releases a hack that they charge for. Somebody sees the idea for the hack, but not the code, and then writes their own version and release it for free.

Does the original author have the right to get ticked off? :D

Amy