|
|
|
|
|
Today the price of a finished commercial program (executable) is less than the price of acquiring its source code. The new paradyn keeps the executables priced affordable (at or below present levels) while making source code significantly cheaper. Although the sliding scale still accounts for levels of testing and certification, acquiring the source code should be a realistic and affordable proposition to any registered, independent software engineer in the world. The intent is to get more minds working at improving the software that the world uses.
The software engineer is encouraged to check in their improvements to the SPL. The nature of their fix and its urgency can determine how quickly the normal SPL processes move the change from untested to certified. Of course, larger software organizations can pay to speed up the process if they dont become an SPL-certified contributor who perform the tasks required to make a release available in the SPL at all levels.
A rating system based on the number of lines of code, a weighting of the functionality in the program, and other factors can determine a royalty percentage that can be paid to the software engineer for that fix that is used in all subsequent for-profit derivative programs and certified executables.
For brand-new technology, the SPL could
Limit the source code exposure for a short time depending upon the level of copyright protection.
Limit check-in and availability of altered source code unless the new implementation is truly unique and better.
Negotiate appropriate fees and royalties for derivative products to include the technology.
Facilitate exposing the technologys interface so that others can build around it.
Because proportional royalties are paid for derivative products, no revenue is lost for contributions that remain in use. The incentive for proprietary solutions becomes less. The life of the solution - in whole or in part - and hence the length of time that royalties continue to be paid becomes directly proportional to the openness of the solution that fosters wide-spread acceptance. If the solution works and is open, and if nobody is being robbed for their creative efforts, the incentive to re-invent the wheel decreases while the incentive to spend our time building on what already works increases.
To bring the copyright policies of the world in line with one another, the SPL is intended from the onset to be a government regulated monopoly.
On the one hand, all published/commercial (software) works would be required (by law) to be made available in the library: executables, DLLs, object, and commented source code.
On the other hand, check-out and download requires registration and payment. The check-in process can determine the extend to which a new product is unique or derivative. Another sliding scale determines the percentages and duration for royalties back to the originator.
The archeology division of SPL would actively solicit source code for outdated, unsupported software (like DOS, WordPerfect 5.0, BIOS, etc.) After commenting and tagging, it could be made available.
The custom solutions division of SPL would handle requests for enhancements and porting to old and new platforms and operating systems. SPL could help manage supply and demand in terms of contracting and scheduling software engineers based upon requests.
The test and certification division would provide various levels of quality assurance, virus detection, verification, certification, and integration.
The code integration and generation division of SPL would automate the process for individuals to specify an application made out of components.
In the future,
Your hardware can be supported much longer.
Your software reliably does what you need it to do.
You can afford custom software.
Your data remains compatible.
You can do it yourself if you're so inclined.
The keys to this better and brighter future for software are knowing:
What code is available [all versions].
What is in the code [XML tagging and extraction].
What the code does [API documentation and code comments].
|
|
|
Open-Source tools compliments of Voyant Technologies, Inc. and Glenn C. Maxey.
01/13/2003
TP Tools v2-00-0a
# tpt-hug-02