Spoiler Alert
You’re gifted with programming. You feel yourself comfortable with different kinds of programming languages, SDK’s and the lot. Also PowerShell hasn’t too many secrets. And when something is lacking, you’re skilled enough to build it yourself. So in a few years time you build your self a kick ass kit packed with add-ons, extensions, workflows, management packs and so on.
All produced in an ever ongoing effort to lighten the work load and let the products work for you instead the other way around.
On top of that…
You’re also someone who likes to share and contribute to the community out there. So – without being obliged in any kind of way – you share some quite nice and awesome stuff. And not just the ‘word’ like ‘…Hey! I fixed this issue, but I am only telling you, not giving it away!’ but the WHOLE deal. So with the word comes the ‘package’ e.g. the related add-ons/extension/MP/workflow.
In this case the community benefits from it. They acknowledge the mentioned issue and are free to download the ‘fix’ for it as well. Based on their experience they deliver feedback, enabling the ‘developer’ to fix some issues, add new functionality and so on. And a newer version sees the light, is shared, receives feedback, is updated and so on.
This is something which I highly appreciate. With my blog I do my utmost best in order to contribute to that very same community and mechanism.
No leprechauns….
Even though a blog posting is written pretty fast, it takes TIME to write good and fully functional PS scripts, develop MPs, add-ons, extensions or workflows. 99 out of 100 times this happens outside the regular working hours. All done without the help of those epic leprechauns.
As it turns out, they don’t show themselves that easy in the real world! So the persons sharing their knowledge, experience and self developed software, do this in their OWN time.
But that’s what it takes to contribute to the community. Not an issue what so ever. The community, or the fast majority that is, respects this. They download it, use it and – when they find the time – they say thanks.
IP (Intellectual Property)
Whether a MP/add-on/extension/workflow is for sale or available for free in the community, there is still something like Intellectual Property. And no matter what, people have to respect that.
<Rant>
A minority however, has less respect for those community efforts in general and IP in particular. And even here one finds different levels of that ‘disrespect’.
Example: Sometimes people ‘use’ (PS) scripts, add their own name to it and ‘forget’ to refer to the source. This is minor and will only create challenges for the people involved in that kind of ‘using’ community based efforts. Simply because they create an image of themselves being capable to write such (PS) scripts. Apparently they lack a certain degree of confidence in themselves, so they pretend to be the very author of it. Sooner or later they will be noticed, for example a (PS) script needs to made in the matter of minutes in order to fix a Prio 1 issue. For copy cats this isn’t the place to be 
.
With the previous mentioned example, there is already a dent in that respect for IP. Still, it’s minor. Now we’ll skip many degrees of disrespect for IP and take a deep dive. Where does it end?
Rock bottom!
Let’s go into the very sewers of disrespect for IP. Please zip up in a protective suit, duck tape the gloves to your sleeves and your trousers to your boots. Put on your gasmask and carry a bottle of oxygen, since this is really really a dirty swamp environment where poisonous gasses and fumes have replaced the normal breathable air. Never ever go alone out there, but in pairs and let the people above know where you’re going. And when you aren’t back within an hour, let them raise the alarm and send in the rescue teams!
As it turns out, some ‘people’ live here! Seriously! I expected some bacteria living of the foul. Microbes, totally adjusted to this environment. But humans?
However the ‘humans’ living here, do have a special ‘trade’:
They ‘borrow’ IP from other persons, ‘shrink wrap’ it
& SELL it as their OWN SOLUTION!!!
Kaboom! Rock bottom it is!
</Rant>
Recap
All this happened to a person who I highly respect. Not only for his skills, but also as a person and for his contributions to the community as a whole. I am a member of the very same community, hence this rant.
He has posted an article about this issue on his blog. PLEASE read this posting, since it will help you saving money, refraining you from buying software which IP is stolen. And even more, the very same software is available for FREE from the community!
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