[snazz]

The FAQ includes a lot of support for what seems like the wrong hill to die on.

Here’s my thought process:

- the GNU Parallel author(s) want/wants people to use and contribute to it.

- they think that most users are academics who write papers and that potential users will find the project after reading the citation, which may or may not be true

- they include a nagware message that “reminds” users to cite the software

- despite the message being controversial and being the subject of the #1 comment in an otherwise unrelated HN thread about the software in general, an FAQ is written to back up the existence of this message

This brings me to the question of whether the inclusion of this message acts more as a deterrent to potential contributors and users. I agree with the motivation, but the means feels petty and undercuts the original goal.

[mechanical_jane]

I enjoy following your thought process. I cannot make that fit with the content of the FAQ:

"In other words: It is preferable having fewer users, who all know they should cite, over having many users, who do not know they should cite.

If the goal had been to get more users, then the license would have been public domain.

...

The citation notice is about (indirect) funding - nothing else."

Does that fit with your assumption that "the GNU Parallel author(s) want/wants people to use and contribute to it"?

[snazz]

What kind of “funding” is referenced in the FAQ? Is there some kind of organization that I am not aware of that pays the author(s) for citations in papers? How is the “long term survival” impacted by whether the author receives citations?

I’m confused as to how “[not including citations] would not have been sustainable in the long term” unless either citations become money at some point or the author is motivated sufficiently by citations to the extent that they would otherwise not work on the project.

If you are an author or are involved in the project, please know that this isn’t intended to be an attack, I’m just interested as to why a project would do something that seems counterintuitive (at least from my point of view).

[mechanical_jane]

Isn't that explained in the link in the very first question?

https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/parallel/2013-11/msg00006...