[MUD-Dev] code base inquiry

[MichelleThompson]

On Wed, 16 Feb 2000, you wrote:
> David Bennett wrote:
> > 
> > I don't think it matters much if the stock mud is free of commercial, if
> > people don't put in effort it won't be anything interesting.  I don't think
> > people would put in any more effort if they were writing a commercial as
> > compared to free mud.  
> 
> I disagree. If a free MUD sucks, nobody's out anything. If a commercial
> MUD sucks, people are out lots of money. That's a pretty powerful
> incentive for the commercial MUD not to suck. They put in more effort in
> selecting the right people, not just whoever's willing to do the job;
> they have actual priorities and standards and source control; and their
> staff have to meet certain professional standards of conduct. On a free
> MUD, there tends to be a general attitude of "hey, it's free, asswipe".
> 
I disagree wholeheartedly with the statement concerning the attutitude on free
muds.  I would say that a higher percentage of newer muds do not put effort
into selecting the right people as you say. but I would most certainly not say
that is true for the majority of all muds.  There are two reasons why I
believe this happens more frequently on first time muds.  One, the person just
started the mud because it seemed cool and they could, or two, first time mud
owners are inexperienced.  Some of the people who started a mud just
because it is cool may have the attitude "it's free, asswipe."  Some of the
first time admins probably also adopt that attitude sometimes because they get
frustrated, especially when they are learning, and someone slams them for just
being another stock mud.  Every mud I have been on that has been open for more
than two years, does have guidelines, and does put effort into choosing the
right people instead of anyone who comes along.  Yes, some muds do as you
state, but there are many, many free muds where the owners carefully plan what
they do, and consider the consequences of every action.  I would suppose that
commercial muds have to do this out of necessity, but many free muds do it out
of choice.    Experience has shown them it works better.  I would think that
people who create commercial muds have experience in either coding and/or
creating muds.   Again, experience has shown them that it works better.  First
time owners on free muds do not necessarily have that experience, but mud
owners who do have that experience build their muds carefully.

This is venturing a little off the intent of the original post, but I think
stock muds are a good thing honestly.  I will agree that I would not enjoy, or
even consider playing most stock muds, but bear with me while I explain.

Simply put:  stock muds are a good place to begin.  It is all well and fine to
say that there are too many of them about, and that they are not any good, etc,
but people have to start somewhere.  My husband and I both had our first imps
on muds derived from stock (different muds).  Since then we have started
developing an original code base (non-commercial).  We could not have gotten
there without having had our roots in stock muds.   I will not begrudge the
existence of another 200 stock muds that did nothing more than make a stock
mud while my husband and I were on our separate muds learning.   Heck, it would
not begrudge the existence of 3000 stock muds.  Because of the stock
phenomenon, we are where we are now.  Now that we are not planning on running a
stock mud again, I will not turn around and say that all stock muds suck and
that there are too many of them. 

Michelle Thompson



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