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"I'm sure there are many here that dream of having their idea be a huge success [...]" In the broader picture, I am struggling to understand some of the opinio

by Arjuna 12y ago

"I'm sure there are many here that dream of having their idea be a huge success [...]" In the broader picture, I am struggling to understand some of the opinions of this story out there, particularly on HN. What I mean is, I suspect that a majority of us dream of this type of success. We dream of connecting our creative force with financial success, especially when that success would free us to work on practically anything that we wanted. I would say that a lot of us dream of being able to lead entirely self-directed lives that financial freedom can afford. Therefore, why is it bemoaned when we see the very success that we dream of unfold for someone else? Why are there suddenly opinions of, "Well, I can't believe Notch would work on something that he would abandon?" Or, "Notch should spend his money this way or that way." It just feels, well, extremely egotistical. Who is anyone to call out how someone else should spend their money, enjoy their time... live their life? A similar situation happened with Dong Nguyen. He essentially tapped into the modern-day equivalent of Pac-Man Fever. In the 80s, it swept the world, to the tune of billions of dollars. It was the highest-grossing arcade game ever produced. People simply loved the game, and they couldn't get enough of clearing boards of dots, power-pellets and ghosts. In a similar way, Flappy Bird took very simple game-play, and combined it with a simple challenge. This is, of course, not the first game to do this, but it took off. The power of the Internet has made Nguyen's name known, and quite sadly in some circles, despised for his financial success, when how much he was making on ad revenue was revealed. Or, with comments like those found in this piece [1], its intellectual lamenting with, "[...] I begrudge a society that would turn it into a phenomenon." I suspect that the author would have said the same about Pac-Man. I really feel for Notch, Dong Nguyen and those creatives of the world that worked to bring a dream to reality, only to have this happen to them. I'm reminded of a phrase from the song Limelight [2] ... Cast in this unlikely role Ill-equipped to act With insufficient tact One must put up barriers To keep oneself intact [1] http://www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/2014/02/03/flappy-bird-review-winged-fury http://www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/2014/02/03/flappy-bir... [2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKpn0esJ73w https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKpn0esJ73w

clarkevans 12y ago
"I really feel for Notch" I don't. He cashed in and, well somehow wants the sympathy of free & open-source wish-keepers. He's in the money; and that was his choice.
- TruthSHIFT 12y ago
  Would Minecraft be in better hands if Notch open-sourced it instead of selling it to Microsoft?
  - opendais 12y ago
    Maybe but is it really a fair question? Notch wasn't the only owner. In fact, he owns less than 50% and they have 40+ employees. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mojang http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mojang Open sourcing it would likely screw his co-founders, employees with stock options, etc. compared to the size of this deal. Tbh, I'd be happier if he donated 10% of his earnings from this sale to Open Source projects and feeding people. Rather than, y'know, having gone the route you suggested. He also seems like the kind of guy that would.
    - nightcracker 12y ago
      Why would open sourcing it screw his co-founders? You can open source the code, interact with the community and improve Minecraft, while still selling the game. You don't have to open source the artwork and assets. Piracy is not an argument in this, because pirating Minecraft for single player has always been and will always be piss easy, and multiplayer will still be impossible.
      - opendais 12y ago
        Microsoft wouldn't pay $2 billion if he open sourced it. So they'd get a smaller payout.
    - rpdillon 12y ago
      He said he'd open source it, but it never happened. I think this pre-dates Mojang, but I'm not certain about the exact timing. http://web.archive.org/web/20100301103851/http://www.minecraft.net/about.jsp http://web.archive.org/web/20100301103851/http://www.minecra...
      - 12y ago
tejon 12y ago
Skip forward a few tracks: Quiet in conscience, calm in their right; confident their ways are best. [1] > I would say that a lot of us dream of being able to lead entirely self-directed lives that financial freedom can afford. Therefore, why is it bemoaned when we see the very success that we dream of unfold for someone else? A lot of us do share that dream, but many feel most alive when they're part of a group movement. There's a little of each in everyone, but it's easy to understand how those who lean strongly to one side or the other might not be able to see through the eyes of folks across the gap. I think that, for the most part, any backlash against Notch isn't fueled by jealousy from those who aspire to the position he's reached; rather, it's from a sense of betrayal and abandonment from people whose core values are loyalty and unity. [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHH17-cMOu0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHH17-cMOu0

by Arjuna 12y ago

clarkevans 12y ago

"I really feel for Notch" I don't. He cashed in and, well somehow wants the sympathy of free & open-source wish-keepers. He's in the money; and that was his choice.

TruthSHIFT 12y ago
Would Minecraft be in better hands if Notch open-sourced it instead of selling it to Microsoft?
- opendais 12y ago
  Maybe but is it really a fair question? Notch wasn't the only owner. In fact, he owns less than 50% and they have 40+ employees. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mojang http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mojang Open sourcing it would likely screw his co-founders, employees with stock options, etc. compared to the size of this deal. Tbh, I'd be happier if he donated 10% of his earnings from this sale to Open Source projects and feeding people. Rather than, y'know, having gone the route you suggested. He also seems like the kind of guy that would.
  - nightcracker 12y ago
    Why would open sourcing it screw his co-founders? You can open source the code, interact with the community and improve Minecraft, while still selling the game. You don't have to open source the artwork and assets. Piracy is not an argument in this, because pirating Minecraft for single player has always been and will always be piss easy, and multiplayer will still be impossible.
    - opendais 12y ago
      Microsoft wouldn't pay $2 billion if he open sourced it. So they'd get a smaller payout.
  - rpdillon 12y ago
    He said he'd open source it, but it never happened. I think this pre-dates Mojang, but I'm not certain about the exact timing. http://web.archive.org/web/20100301103851/http://www.minecraft.net/about.jsp http://web.archive.org/web/20100301103851/http://www.minecra...
    - 12y ago

tejon 12y ago

Skip forward a few tracks: Quiet in conscience, calm in their right; confident their ways are best. [1] > I would say that a lot of us dream of being able to lead entirely self-directed lives that financial freedom can afford. Therefore, why is it bemoaned when we see the very success that we dream of unfold for someone else? A lot of us do share that dream, but many feel most alive when they're part of a group movement. There's a little of each in everyone, but it's easy to understand how those who lean strongly to one side or the other might not be able to see through the eyes of folks across the gap. I think that, for the most part, any backlash against Notch isn't fueled by jealousy from those who aspire to the position he's reached; rather, it's from a sense of betrayal and abandonment from people whose core values are loyalty and unity. [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHH17-cMOu0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHH17-cMOu0