a94060 wrote:why do people sell php code/copyright?
Because they want to earn a living doing what they enjoy. Nothing wrong with that. But please don't equate php code to copyright - they aren't related at all.
a94060 wrote:its an open source language.
Yes, the language (since it is not compiled) results in files being easy to view, thats not the same as being an "open source" language. It happens by default, not by intent.
a94060 wrote:if you reallyn need it,write it!!!
As a good example, the game I work on (BNT) is a product some might (eventually) consider trying to sell. To write it again from scratch with the same level of functionality would easily take 2-3 years, with a team of talented programmers.
Sometimes that level of involvement is simply impossible.
a94060 wrote:i think that people should not sell open source things like php scripts.
Nothing wrong with *selling* code. The problem is in trying to control the code. Encrypting the code means you lose openness, trust, and more. Encrypting the code is trivial protection at best. Copyright and contracts on the other hand offer substantial protection.
Think about RedHat Linux. Its opensource (yay!), its freedom software (Under the GPL), and they charge for it. They also have a free/community/development version (Fedora). They have the best of all worlds generally.
There is nothing wrong with selling software. More power to anyone that can. Encryption, on the other hand, is just a technical means to *control* a user. Such things should be viewed as exactly that - an arrogance by the content producer.