Path: chuka.playstation.co.uk!toby
From: toby@angst.forefront.com.au (Toby Sargeant)
Newsgroups: scea.yaroze.freetalk
Subject: Re: Elite groups.. [was Re: Talent vs. Time]
Date: 25 Feb 1998 22:45:29 GMT
Organization: PlayStation Net Yaroze (SCEE)
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On Wed, 25 Feb 1998 11:44:41 -0500, Jeff Lawton <jlawton@groupz.net> wrote:
>Toby Sargeant wrote in message ...
>>No. When I have something that I think people can learn from, or use,
>>I will. I'm completely committed to the idea of open software, which,
>>IMHO, is the only way that the yaroze project is really going to take
>>off. If cliques of coding 'elite' form, then it kills the free flow of
>>information, which in turn means that the pioneers, so to speak, can't
>>or won't ease the road for the new members. So far it looks like the
>>majority of people are in favour of disseminating information, which
>>is really great to see.
>
>
>I just had to comment on this..  I would have to TOTALLY disagree..  Why
>would forming 'elite' groups hurt the Yaroze.  I don't see why it would do
>that..  I think that forming groups is a good thing...  Here is the way I
>see it...
>
[snip]

<opinion>
Sorry, I didn't explain myself well enough, it seems. Forming groups is a great
thing. Teamwork has and always will be very important. The problem with groups
though is that sections of the community can (and I stress the 'can' - I
haven't seen any evidence of it here, and hope that I never will) develop a
'we're better than you, don't expect us to do you any favours' attitude. When
that happens, development essentially stalls, unless there are sufficient
numbers of people in the 'elite' category, or there's an alternate way to
learn the things you need to know to get there yourself.

The amiga demoscene seemed to be a case in point. While there was no nastiness
associated with peoples attitudes (in the main), information took a long time
to filter down from the upper echelons. People wasted a lot of effort trying to
work out and emulate others code, rather than being given the information they
needed freely, and then using their creativity to do something new with it.

Pride in your work is understandable, but rather than trying to be your best by
keeping the things you know to yourself, it's much better to share what you
know with others, and learn from what others have to share with you.

Programming should be a creative endeavour first, and a search for knowledge
second.
</opinion>

Toby.