Till Jaeger writes:
Hello,
you can find some information in our article in English (IIC, vol.32 1/2001; http://www.tilljaeger.de/art10.pdf, page 13 - 15; but very huge file!) or in German: GRUR Int. 1999, 839; http://www.ifross.de/ifross_html/art1.html).
Thanks for the pointers.
Page 13 says:
"Since according to the copyright concept of the Free Software Foundation it is precisely the gain in reputation that represents the reward for the programmer, the latter will react all the more sensitively to damage to his reputation"
The Free Software movement (and the Free Software Foundation in particular) does not deny that gain in reputation may be part of the incentive of someone publishing Free Software. However, the Free Software movement and the Free Software Foundation said in many occasions that viewing this as the primary incentive is incorrect.
People are altruistics, people do things for moral reasons. People pushing Free Software for education do it so that their children live in a better world. I know some people thought they discovered why people write Free Software when they realized that it may bring them some fame. These people have difficulties thinking that individuals often do things for purely altruistic reasons.
Because of that, I think it is incorrect to assume that Free Software developers are motivated by gain in reputation.
I have an additional question you may be able to answer. Is there an example of a software author who successfuly enforced his moral rights ? That may help us understand the situation better.
Cheers,
-Till Jaeger writes: - > Hello, - > - > you can find some information in our article in English (IIC, -vol.32 1/2001; - > http://www.tilljaeger.de/art10.pdf, page 13 - 15; but very huge -file!) or in - > German: GRUR Int. 1999, 839; -http://www.ifross.de/ifross_html/art1.html). - > - - Thanks for the pointers. - - Page 13 says: - -"Since according to the copyright concept of the Free Software -Foundation it is precisely the gain in reputation that represents -the reward for the programmer, the latter will react all the more -sensitively to damage to his reputation" - - The Free Software movement (and the Free Software Foundation -in particular) does not deny that gain in reputation may be part of -the incentive of someone publishing Free Software. However, the -Free Software movement and the Free Software Foundation said in many -occasions that viewing this as the primary incentive is incorrect.
Gain in reputation is surely not the only or the most important motivation but most programmers I spoke to think this is an important point.
- - People are altruistics, people do things for moral reasons. -People pushing Free Software for education do it so that their -children live in a better world. I know some people thought they -discovered why people write Free Software when they realized that it -may bring them some fame. These people have difficulties thinking that -individuals often do things for purely altruistic reasons. - - Because of that, I think it is incorrect to assume that -Free Software developers are motivated by gain in reputation. - - I have an additional question you may be able to answer. Is -there an example of a software author who successfuly enforced his -moral rights ? That may help us understand the situation better.
I don't know any example. Because of credit lists and so on there is mostly no violation of moral rights.