Post
by Malachi » Sat Feb 22, 2003 11:30 am
The red cross isn't a "charity" as most people see it. Annually, the director of the Red Cross takes home more than $1 million. Sure, that a tough job but...hmm. About 5 years ago one director quit after they posted their budget and it showed that they had been making $13 million a year as the directory of a "charity."
Billions of dollars went into 9-11 funds, lots of people donated $20. I am QUITE sure that they woudn't do that if they knew the director of this "Charity" was taking so much of their donations home....
Just a thought...
And, here's how donating to a developer works. You look at their software. You think "man, this guy/girl/hermaphrodite did a lot of work and I really get a lot of use out of their program. I think I'll toss them some money in appreciation." Now, here's how you BUY software (and don't argue about microsoft bullshit, we all know how stupid it is) you say "ooh, I want to use this software, but I can't because it's not free. Well, I decide that my opportunity cost of spending the money is less than or equal the gain I will receive by using the software, and so I will pay for it." Now that you have bought the software, (assuming the license agreement says so), you have the right to expect tech support, new version support, and those fun sorts of things.
NOWHERE in ANY thread did Plaz EVER say that he would code MQ until the day that Sony shut down EQ. He did promise a new version by the superbowl, but then ya can't look a gift horse in the mouth. If you donated to Plaz, then good for you. I'm sure your $5 bought him some good doritos and coke. It didn't make him rich, and I'm sure this project actually got in the way of whatever else he was doing or trying to do, like have a life.
If indeed he has gone, then the world of EQ has lost a talented member, but the world has probably gained one. If he's biding his time on the nerf or whatever, then good for him. Basically, I feel that if you can't put up, then shut up. This is a sourceforge site, which means users are encouraged to download and fiddle w/ the source. If you can't/don't want to/wouldn't know where to start, then shaddup.
Sure, it stinks. Maybe you donated after the dissapearance, and that sure stinks too. That's the tricky thing about a donation...it's an option. Even with /click functionality down, MQ is still worth a $20 donation any day of the week.
This guy sounds like the sort who goes to strip clubs but doesn't tuck dollar bills in their g-strings because he isn't gonna get laid and he can't understand paying for something that isn't catered to him. Hehe. Not so much trying to flame as trying to figure out exactly how you spoiled, sad little children got your heads so far into your hiney's that you think Plaz owes you something. I mean, look around. That's your colon buddy! Come out here and play with the rest of us, life's a lot more fun when you realize that no one owes you anything, *ever.*
~malachi
Oh, and as for cracking Xylo. It would take most of us less than half an hour to set that breakpoint. The trouble with you guys is that you don't understand hacker ethics. Information wants to be free, true, and it's great to know HOW to access something. That does NOT mean that we are born with some innate right these sorts of things, or that in our struggle to compile wealth and status that nothing else matters but ourselves. Ben only made a server check so that people wouldn't pirate his software en masse, he can't possibly be dumb enough to think that people could never crack it. The concept of cracking Xylo is a sad sad one indeed. You don't need two copies running at the same time to bot on two different computers...you just use the MCS on one to get commands from the other. You guys make me sad.
~Oh danny boy, the pipes the pipes are calling.~
And for all of those people out there that just love to prove Darwin wrong, yes.. This was posted in jest.