[Info-vax] BASIC compiler in the hobbyist distribution

[Bill Gunshannon]

In article <mkidkc$rkl$1 at dont-email.me>,
	David Froble <davef at tsoft-inc.com> writes:
> Bill Gunshannon wrote:
> 
>> Hogwash.  In the "good ole dayz" this "FREE" software was written by
>> and maintained by professionals.  Not by by pre-pubescent teenagers
>> with no girlfriends, living in their mom's basement. 
>>  
>> bill
>> 
> 
> Had to think about this a bit.
> 
> My perspective is that much of what made DECUS so helpful happened in 
> the 1975-1985 time frame.  That was a time when there were few to none 
> computers in mom's basement.  People developed software at work, and 
> were professionals, well, most of them.  They understood responsibility 
> and such.  Most would abhor any bugs in their work, and would fix such 
> when the bugs surfaced.
> 
> Now, with computer's in mom's basement, there is more opportunity for 
> some "less than professional" things happening.
> 
> I have computers in my basement.  Wonder what that means ....
> 
> Also have aircraft projects in same basement, wonder what that means ...

It isn't the location.  I have had real computers in my house (at first
in the attic cause the basement tended to flood when it rained) since
the early 80's.  It is the people doing the programming who seem to have
no problem claiming they are "professionals" because the ran a web server
(which went under) prior to the dot.com bubble bursting.  Trust me, we
have had students show up here insisting that they should be exempted from
having to take some of the classes (like data structures, machine organization
and operating systems) because, after all, they have been doing consulting
since they were sophomores in high school.  One in particular actually
finished his degree.  After 4 restarts and almost 10 years....

bill

-- 
Bill Gunshannon          |  de-moc-ra-cy (di mok' ra see) n.  Three wolves
billg999 at cs.scranton.edu |  and a sheep voting on what's for dinner.
University of Scranton   |
Scranton, Pennsylvania   |         #include <std.disclaimer.h>