The basis of modern computations of colorant formulations is a 1931 article by Kubelka and Munk. Virtually all the subsequent important contributions to the problem were published in the following four decades; if it were the practice for software instructions to include a comprehensive list of published references, it is unlikely that many if any, would be dated later than the advent of the modern computer. This implies either that no major problems remain unsolved or that some factor is discouraging further improvements or is inhibiting their publication. This leads to the hypothesis that the accepted practice in rite dissemination of computer documentation, of failing to provide references to relevant published work is a significant basis of stultifying new development. It is accordingly urged that promulgators of software accept the I responsibility universally observed in scientific technological publication, of disclosing prior work by supplying appropriate lists of relevant published material. The failure to disclose prior published work should be deemed a form of plagiarism.