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No. Half Life was not a walled garden before opening up to modders, and was not a walled garden after. It was just a game opened to modders. If we get over o
by Terretta 5y ago
No.
Half Life was not a walled garden before opening up to modders, and was not a walled garden after. It was just a game opened to modders.
If we get over ourselves, and allow that there's new category of thing, devices made of mechanical and digital parts both, that the maker may or may not selectively open for mods as a legitimate part of their business model they're within their rights to choose, then we'd be less religiously militant in ways that harm innovation and consumers.
- jacquesm 5y agoHalf Life is not a device, modders are not application programmers targeting that device.
- OneTimePetes 5y agoNo, a device is more stable when it comes to APIs and Configurations.
- Terretta 5y ago> [Software] is not a device. Then what are you engineering? --- Edit to elaborate: I'm convinced this is the essence of the debate that has intensified as parts that move at the speed of light are devouring physical parts. Switch, transistor, if statement -- a maker should be able to convert one type of part to another type of part without losing their rights, or accidentally triggering a "oh, look, general computing, therefore it's no longer up to you to decide!" flag of some sort. Ease of reconfiguring electrons shouldn't change right to design and distribute a product with whatever blend of physical and digital one wants, facilitating whatever purpose one wants, and not being forced to facilitate other purposes.
- jacquesm 5y agoSorry, but you really can't just define some arbitrary alternative universe and then expect the debate to take place on your terms.
- Terretta 5y agoI think your universe is the alternate, clinging to the antiquated notion a device can’t be digital or a blend of mechanical and digital widgetry. That’s so last century. :-)