[MUD-Dev] (fwd) ADMIN: "A Classification Of Muds" [was 'In defence of stock muds...']

[J C Lawrence]

Date:      08/13/1997
Subject:   ADMIN: "A Classification Of Muds" [was 'In defence of stock muds...']
Newsgroup: rec.games.mud.admin
Author:    Greg Munt <greg at uni-corn.demon.co.uk>
Thread Message


On Wed, 13 Aug 1997, Martin Keegan wrote:
 
> Greg Munt wrote:
> 
>> "Scratch muds can only ever be leaves of The Mud Tree."
> 
> This is bollocks. Read the paper again.
 
It is not entirely bollocks. Indeed, in your paper you state that:
 
"Since 1990, most mud evolution has been by the genetic mechanism."
 
In response to Batzing's insistence that scratch muds are 'at an
evolutionary dead-end', you agreed.
 
Could it not be said that, although grafting is a possible route for
mud evolution, this has not occurred in great abundance 'since
1990'?
 
If scratch muds again become popular, what are the consequences for
mud evolution? Which 'route' is preferable (if there is a preferable
route)?
 
In your paper you say that, if faced with stagnation, mud authors
will resort to writing from scratch and/or grafting, and that 'the
diversity of the overall system will be restored'. Does this take
into account that whilst a mud's source remains unpublished:
 
  * Genetic evolution is impossible
  * Grafting is unlikely (unless the mud becomes popular/well-known) 
 
?
 
Should it be noted that numerous scratch mud authors are unconcerned
with the popularity of their mud? Does this not reduce the chances
of grafting? Are some authors deliberately designing a mud that
might be construed as non-populist?
 
Do muds with their source on public release enjoy a certain degree
of 'immortality'?  Do scratch muds with their source unavailable run
the risk of swift 'death'?
 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  "I want to be imp on a MU*!!! Where do I get the code for CircleMUD???"   
"I have great ideas for a new mud, but if I use stock code I'll be flamed."
     These are the two extremes. Can the pro-scratchers go too far?


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