| Re: Examine "Saved" IDL procedures now too! [message #29941 is a reply to message #29825] |
Tue, 26 March 2002 20:08   |
David Fanning
Messages: 11724
Registered: August 2001
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Senior Member |
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Paul van Delst (paul.vandelst@noaa.gov) writes:
> All the above is purely my badly informed personal opinion. :o)
I haven't weighted in on this yet because--Lord knows--I
keep a high enough profile around here and I've learned that
it almost never does me any good to take a stand on a
controversial issue. But I've been getting some private
e-mail wondering what I think about all of this, so I thought
I should come public.
I've known that Craig has had the ability to re-constitute
IDL save files into procedures and functions for some
time now. But I'm sorry he made the news public. I've
known Craig for a long time through this newsgroup and
via e-mail. He has always been the most ethical and
positive person with respect to RSI. (His only quirk, as
far as I know, is holding on to a copy of IDL 4.0.) I'm
certain he has his reasons for making this announcement
and releasing information regarding IDL save files. I
haven't talked to him about this, nor do I know what
his reasons are.
I am not one of those IDL consultants who is affected
by this decision. I was a long and early advocate of
open software, primarily because I first saw it (when
I worked for RSI) as an opportunity to sell more software,
and later because it enabled me to sell more books and
consulting, which is where the real money comes from,
such as it is. I've never sold a single IDL save file
in the 10+ years I've been doing this kind of work.
But I have to admit when I read the announcement the
other day I was awfully conflicted. One the one hand
I can see the value of being able to open up IDL save
files. On the other hand, those folks who wrote ENVI
have done some amazing work. I think they deserve to
have that work proprietary, if that is what they want.
I know I'm always annoyed to learn that someone is
photocopying my book. It happens, I know. But it is
stealing--if that is not too harsh a word--someone's
intellectual toil, too. (I seem to have a similar
conversation every month or so with my children with
regard to music available on the Internet. Yes, someone
always seems to get obscenely rich when they only know
three chords, but it is intellectual property all the
same.)
So, when the announcement was made I felt so badly
I didn't even go download the darn thing. It took
me three days to get over my ethical qualms about
really wanting to have a peak at a couple of things
in ENVI. By then, of course, the critical piece of
software had been removed. I've made several discrete
inquiries about whether someone or other had it, but
honestly, I can't find anyone who has downloaded it.
I'm not sure what that has to say about our little
community, but it cheers me up nonetheless.
No one, as far as I know, thought the IDL save file
format was the 128-bit encryption method to beat all
others. It was just a convenient way to keep a couple
of things to yourself. I'm sorry to see it compromised.
Cheers,
David
--
David W. Fanning, Ph.D.
Fanning Software Consulting
Phone: 970-221-0438, E-mail: david@dfanning.com
Coyote's Guide to IDL Programming: http://www.dfanning.com/
Toll-Free IDL Book Orders: 1-888-461-0155
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