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Sharing the code just seems like The Right Thing to Do. It costs us rather little, but it benefits a lot of people in sometimes very significant ways. There are many university research projects, proof of concept publisher demos, and new platform test beds that have leveraged the code. Free software that people value adds wealth to the world.
John Carmack
ShareWTF𝕏

Interpretation

What this quote means

Sharing code enhances collaboration and innovation while benefiting many without significant cost.

This quote emphasizes the importance of sharing code within the software development community. John Carmack highlights that by making code accessible, developers not only contribute to the growth of various technological projects but also support the broader community, yielding significant benefits. The act of sharing is portrayed as a selfless endeavor that creates wealth and resources for everyone involved, ultimately fostering a spirit of collaboration and progress in technology.

Themes

CodeSharingSoftwareCommunityCollaborationInnovation

In practice

Example use cases

In a tech conference, to illustrate the importance of open-source projects.

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Programming is not a zero-sum game. Teaching something to a fellow programmer doesn't take it away from you. I'm happy to share what I can, because I'm in it for the love of programming.
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Quote by John Carmack | QuoteProject