Nice ...hgm wrote: One has nothing to do with the other. You can be a talented programmer and a code thief at the same time. If I become the richest person in the World by stealing Warren Buffets money, and adding some 20% to it the next year in the stock market, I would still be considered a thief. No one would say: "You really proved you are a good investor, by making 20% where others only made 10% in the same year. Of course you are entitled to keep Warren's billions!"
But, exception Vas...
Almost all authors work in the same way....
They learn, copy and takes codes from others...
And we should be very very naive, if we can't see the reality !!
Of course in the same time,
They have a lot of own original ideas as well
Note also that I can't say: this is a 'thief' for 'number one' engine,
Who is able to improve more than + 50 Elo or +100 Elo or even more... based on original chess engine!
And instead of criticizing the talented programers...
We should congratulate their amazing work, is not ?!