[OFF] Cool Plugins

[Richard Gaskin]

Vaughn Clement wrote:
> I see your request for assistance as needed and I would like to help, but
> based on my limited LC experience I would hinder the progress. I am
> responding just to say we hear your request, and want to help. I do have an
> ongoing need to see a better documentation system for users (new users).
> The consolidation of instructional information is a clear starting point.

Being here asking questions is a valuable contribution in itself.  For 
every question posted here there are many subscribers who had the same 
question but were too shy to ask.  You're not shy, and your posts here 
are very helpful.

Since open source includes the word "source", it's really easy to think 
about contributions strictly in terms of source code.  As helpful as 
those are, the range of ways community members can help one another goes 
far beyond that.

What I've learned from the Ubuntu community is just how broad the scope 
of contributions can be.  Sometimes it's source, but sometimes it's 
documentation, and sometimes it's helping to provide support with a 
neighbor or online, and sometimes it's just showing the software to a 
friend and helping them download and install it.

All of these things help a software grow, and even the most 
seemingly-modest of them helps make for a better software experience for 
everyone.

And just using the software is valuable in itself, even if you never 
lift a finger to help anyone else.  It's useful for a software to have 
people who enjoy using it.

When software is licensed as open source, it's effectively a form of 
gift.  The recipient has no obligation of any kind to give anything 
back.  If they were obliged, it wouldn't be a gift, it would be a mere 
transaction.

Sometimes when enough people use a software, there are others who feel 
inclined to help.   It's great when they do, but by no means diminishes 
anyone who doesn't.

Just use LiveCode and enjoy it.  That's the most mission-critical task.

When enough people do that, other forms of contributions will come along 
in good time.

-- 
  Richard Gaskin
  LiveCode Community Manager
  richard at livecode.org