Beta Testers for new today screen plugin wanted.

[ooosadface]

Originally posted by cratos
...Legally, anyone can still use it because of the absence of a license agreement...

Example:
Last week I had you over to my house for some euchre. Tonight you stop by, no one is home but the door is unlocked. Is it legal for you to go in?

This is what I am saying by 'cringe'. Where does the application of that kind of thought stop? What I am hearing is that even though the author specifically said 'Beta Testers for new today screen plugin wanted' and then specifically put in a date for the software to stop working, people are saying they have the right to decide if they can keep using what is legally not theirs. Beta testing holds some ground in the software world. It has to or the entire concept that it stands for will fall. I love public betas, but I am seeing less and less of them because (IMO) of this whole entitlement mentality.

Again, just my $.02. I know I said I would stop, but I appreciate this discussion.

[cratos]

Originally posted by ooosadface
Example:
Last week I had you over to my house for some euchre. Tonight you stop by, no one is home but the door is unlocked. Is it legal for you to go in?

You and I both know that is not an accurate metaphor. SRS did not provide a legal agreement before these people obtained the software.

If you buy a piece of software and then the company you bought it from abandons it, do you have to stop using it?

This is what I am saying by 'cringe'. Where does the application of that kind of thought stop? What I am hearing is that even though the author specifically said 'Beta Testers for new today screen plugin wanted' and then specifically put in a date for the software to stop working, people are saying they have the right to decide if they can keep using what is legally not theirs.

This all goes back to what people had an understanding of before obtaining the software. Almost everyone had the understanding that they would continue to use TP and all the hard work they put into the skins as well. None of them that I know of agreed to a license that said the software would expire and they were to stop using it after such time.

Beta testing holds some ground in the software world. It has to or the entire concept that it stands for will fall. I love public betas, but I am seeing less and less of them because (IMO) of this whole entitlement mentality.

If you are seeing less and less of them, I doubt it is because of the entitlement mentality, because I have never seen a piece of software released (beta or not) without a license agreement. Usually, people know what they are getting into before they do.

Consider that the testers put a huge amount of work in themselves, then you can see people's reluctance to stop using TP when they dont legally have to.

I know that both the testers and the developer are frustrated over the whole issue. But SRS did make a mistake and he is unwilling to own up to it and end both party's frustration.