Re: OMG!

[Quantum Cat <quantum-no-spam@cotse.com>]

Hiya, Kelli!

 *>Guess what? 

Your IQ dropped some more?

 *>For the Apple II, writing new software and attempting to sell it on a
 *>commercial basis is pointless.

No it's not.  There. I answered your pointless assertion with another.  Now what 
have we accomplished?  ;)

 *>I won't stand up and demand that the pirates get out because the pirates
 *>perform a valuable service in maintaining the availability of out-of-print
 *>software. 

So does ebay.  And there's no theft involved there either.  I guess this says 
something about you.  ;)

 *>If an author won't write a new program of type X because an old program of
 *>that genre is available through the services of pirates, it's not the
 *>illegality that's at issue -- it's the market.

And if they won't write any more software for the Apple because losers like Tom 
ignore distribution conditions plainly written in the "About" or "README"'s and 
upload it with their own names plastered about?

That's NOT the market.

 *>Even in an ideal world with no pirates, people will *still* not spend $20
 *>for a program for a platform that has not been sold in 8 years.

How about $5?  $10?  $15?  Where did you come up with this imaginary sum of 
money?  Again, I suggest you get a clue and check out how well certain items like 
Saybrook cards, SCSI, Zips, or TWGS sell.  Check out Spectrum.  It all puts the 
lie to your assertion.

 *> If the pirates started charging money for the software they make available,
 *>and start sending the appropriate royalty checks to the last known copyright
 *>holder, they wouldn't get a red cent.

And your point?  Is there one?

 *>Projects like GNO/ME, Marinetti, and SIS are great technical
 *>accomplishments! 

Yes they are.

 *>They show off the capabilities of systems long thought obsolete -- but
 *>they're not commercially viable. 

With the exception of SIS, they are free.  And it's the author of such works who 
gets to decide what's viable.  Not some nitwit on csa2.  ;)

They may be happy with the price of a pizza.

 *>Trying to sell them is not realistic.

Kelli, reality and you are worlds apart.  ;)

 *>If there was ever a newsgroup that needed to pay attention to Richard
 *>Stallman, it's this one. 

He's too whiney for my tastes.  ;)

 *>No, he does not advocate piracy. He *does* advocate that all software should
 *>be free,

And we can see how far THAT'S got him.  ;)

 *> but he does not subscribe to "by any means necessary."

Yet, you're advocating the theft of software and/or scolding programmers because 
they stick a shareware price on their work?  What means do YOU actually subscribe 
to?  

 *>Folks, writing software for the Apple II is great! 

Yup.

 *>Please keep up the good work! 

But why?  When they'll be "chided"?

 *>But be sensible and release your software as freeware, or at most,
 *>donationware.

Grow up and quit expecting freebies to fall in your lap.  And get it through your 
head that you aren't the arbitor in this... The creators are.  ;)


Quantum Cat

Vogons for a Turlette Free Apple II Community!