How do you feel about sharing your scripts publicly?

[OMGBurgers]

I'm sure there's a TON of pretty powerful scripts out there, whether they're insane money makers, give an unfair advantage in certain aspects of the game, or just all out cruise control mode useful.  I'm also pretty sure there's a lot of just generally helpful scripts, but don't really fall into the above statement, that aren't shared because people just don't see why they should bother sharing with the general public.

I've been wanting to share my work again, but it either falls into the first statement, or the second.  It's not that I don't like sharing my work with others, but there's people who kind of ruin it for others I suppose, and maybe it's wrong of me to not share with anyone, because of some.  On my shard, there's a lot of people who have a dislike for myself, and direct friends.  Now those players also manage to convince the majority that are aligned with them, to share the same dislike, and in many cases turn it into hatred.  Hand fulls of them use my scripts without knowing, and a decent amount use them knowingly.  There's ones who use my scripts, have thanked me on boards in the past, but also find it necessary to call me a cheater in game (that's wording it lightly.... lol) knowing who I am, but very little about what I do (But still love to make accusations.).

So I'm at the point where "why should I share anything, that they could get their hands on?". 

That's where I stand with my scripts, and the distribution of them.  I'm wondering if there's a pretty decent amount of others who feel the same.  I've been contemplating sharing my current project, but the only reason I can find to do so, is the help I've received here, but I'm not sure it out weighs the fact that I'd be sharing it potentially with the people who are just plain douche bags.

[_C2_]

i keep a few of my scripts to myself.  i share most with the understanding that it makes them less of a money maker and that I will have to make them usable for peeps with slow, fast and all kinds of connections.

It can be a real pain in the arse at times but I enjoy helping others enjoy the game.

Yes, there are some that make it sour but I stay focused on the group that stays positive.

so, I like to share...
I know some of the users will be absolute turds...
many, many more will be greatful and enjoy them...
it is more work to share than keep private but I accept that.
if the script does not handle mass use well, i keep it private.

[Kandie]

although I don't know a thing about writiing scripts, I do use them and I must say I very much appreciate all the hard work that goes into making them. I understand what you mean and I wouldn't blame you if you held them back. Its sad when there are ppl who spoil it for others. I hope you will continue to share with us...but you have to do what makes you feel good   Just remember you are appreciated by alot of us.

[_C2_]

I'm really interested to see what other authors write here.  In my experience, every author I speak with at some point almost always has a different reason they write.  Sharing really comes down to the reason you write.

[OMGBurgers]

I'm really interested to see what other authors write here.  In my experience, every author I speak with at some point almost always has a different reason they write.  Sharing really comes down to the reason you write.

Yeah me too.  I used to be always one to share, but with scripts it seems like the ones I write now, are all ones that I feel I shouldn't be sharing.  I guess right now I'm writing scripts for myself, and trustable friends, rather than others.

[_C2_]

I'm really interested to see what other authors write here.  In my experience, every author I speak with at some point almost always has a different reason they write.  Sharing really comes down to the reason you write.

Yeah me too.  I used to be always one to share, but with scripts it seems like the ones I write now, are all ones that I feel I shouldn't be sharing.  I guess right now I'm writing scripts for myself, and trustable friends, rather than others.

hehe, things like my cooking script and your trap box script are low impact when shared.  they make uo life easier and certainly don't ruin the sharing experience.  some other stuff we dream up... well that can get ridiculous.

[TrailMyx]

I think it's pretty clear how I feel about it.  Probably the same as most others too.  I love to share my scripts, but I do like to limit the more powerful ones, that's why I release those to the Elites.  I only have a couple scripts I've kept for myself really. I've found that most of the time, if I think my script is pretty powerful, there's someone else out there that has something better.  

I also try to release the singularly unique ones.  Like the CLAw FULL for example - there's nothing even close to it out there.  There's a zillion looters out there, but nothing that's a true evaluator.  

Plus I like to release scripts because it makes me happy.  I don't do it because I feel obligated; it's just fun for me.

[Cerveza]

I try to keep the scripts I put out publicly to the more simpler ones just so I don't have 40 pages of "no work my shard" questions.

I have written a couple of scripts that I originally put out, but moved to Elite only just because they would be over used and draw attention to stuff I don't want attention drawn to.

In general, I like to publish scripts for the masses and try to write them so people can modify them to suit their needs.

[Scrripty]

Before my private section was removed, *glares*, I had decided I was only going to release helpfull subs and scripts that would not impact the economy in any way.  I was going through all my scripts compiling the ones that were usefull but not game hurting, and getting a list of subs that people could leverage in their own scripts.  I like helping newer scripters get better, then they'll realize how much work it takes to write REALLY nice scripts, and most likely will feel the same way I do when they get there.  I can't stand giving people things without them understanding how important it is that a script that's TOO good just shouldn't be released...  I'll bend over backwards to help someone who's generally trying to learn tho.  9x out of 10, people just don't appreciate things that are given to them on a silver platter.  I hope I'm not taking too big a stab at anyone by using TRAMMEL as an example?   You might think that's an apple to oranges comparison, but if you think about it twice I bet you'll agree.  Or if you were ever a dread lord making the noobs appreciate guard zones.

[UOMaddog]

Call me a true open-source, copyleft, GNU-ist...I am just a person who believes that sharing helps everyone (ironically, I'm a capitalist, not a communist) but that it is also the choice of the original author. I write all my scripts fully intending to share them. In fact, many of the scripts I've written I have never used myself. More often than not, they're requests from guildmates, friends, etc. that just got tired of the clickyness (and not the teenage high-school kind) so I sought to relieve their fingers! I also genuinely enjoy programming so a good programming challenge makes me happy! I always just tell myself, how do I do it manually, and how do I then translate it to code. Sometimes it's trickier than you think! (Like my CEOMedic replacement and all its crazy logic)

[Scrripty]

(Like my CEOMedic replacement and all its crazy logic)

I hear that.  I've got some logic going on in some stuff that I sometimes look at and don't understand myself.  I've started documenting in detail when I do something crazy like that. heh  Funny.

[gimlet]

I give away my programs (most anyway) but mine are a little different since most just make the game easier to play.

[Outlaw Josey Wales]

I ve taken stab at scripting few times I always wind up with big headache.  I can do basic scripting and basic debuging of script but wrighting complex scrips is above my head alot of the times.  I think im just geting to old to teach new tricks. 

I can see both sides of the fence wether to share or not to share. I personaly belive people should have to put fourth some kind of effort in either helping debug it or test it or something along those lines. 

Like the old saying goes nothing in life is free u got to work for it in some sort of fashion.  When i first came to scriptuo i had no knoledge how to script so cerv and manwinc and few others help me lern the bascis behind it wich gave me deaper apreciation for what u guys do.

  I also brought fourth some ideas for example how i was abel to imbue armor with out imbueing any resist on the piece still haveing all 70s and also how to make relic frags useing hammers and such.

  I never asked for the scripts to be made but i sugested somone better than me could probley put it into action. Couple of guys took the ideas made some nice scripts from it but they never released it to the public.  I myself recived copy for comeing up with the idea I was proud to have helped in some sort of fashion. 

This is my opinion if someone helps with it then share it with them if the person is leach and expects to get something for nothing then he shouldn t get anything

[Endless Night]

Well like most things my opinions change over time and sometimes flipflop.  I started out releasing everything to the general public... But after much work and little feedback over time I've released less and less to the general public. 

These days I'm most likely just to release to Elites. I like to share stuff but I like to share stuff more with people who I know are (1) going to give me some feedback and appreciate my work  and (2) are also sharing information/techniques/bugs or scripts.

    I am more than willing to help the masses with script snippets debuggin or general coding help/techniques and methods, but I'm pretty much no longer prepared to drop a complete 100% operating package in their laps (this goes for anything i consider remotely complex).  An example here is that its trivial for me to make my character toolbox so that it no longer needs contkind... but leaving it so filters out the lazy leechers. But leechers who are prepared to do a modicum of work can still benefit.

Another thing besides the obvious annoyance of silent leechers that influenced me in my slow progression from public releasing to private releasing was my GM detector.  My original version was too successful and was the cause or at least influenced the change in the way GMs do their thing,  thus making it harder for my GM detector (now Overseer) to work.  So with the demise of UOCoders my GM detector went private, never to see the public light of day again.

Some other reasons I might only release a private script
1) scripts that use  little known methods/semi legal exploits that i personally don't want to see fixed.
2) I don't want the personal competition (might not even make it into any release at all)
3) Two powerful

That all said and done, I love to make public scripts and probably will continue to.. especially if they add to the common knowledge base of the EUO scripting world like my Buff/Debuff Bar Scanner.  Or just make a short term event more enjoyable to all like my years past Halloween helper.