2 Dec
2006
2 Dec
'06
3:16 p.m.
On Dec 1, 2006, at 12:26 PM, Richard wrote:
I would argue software sources are more educational than useful (not that
education is not a very important 'use' :-)). I like scheamtics of old
computers for 2 reasons, firstly to learn how they worked, and secondly
to be able to repair them if something failes. Only the first is really
applicable to software, software doesn't fail in the same sense that
hardware can.
FWIW, even though I don't consdier myself to be a programmer, I do like
reading source listings, the lower the level the better. I have
certainly read through a fair number of microcode sources in my time...
-tony
Someone asked me in private email why I'd
want to do this -- I
consider the source code just as an important historical artifact as
the compiled binaries and physical hardware. For the same reason that
people want schematics for vintage hardware, having source code for
vintage software is also useful.
Not only useful, but highly educational. A lot of this sort of