Re: Building An Apple ][ Software Archive

[processoroverclocked@33mhz.cjb.net (Jon Bettencourt)]

Wooooohooooo! Go all 3 of you!!!

(Finally, a thread worth reading!)

In article <8q6n29$8ku$1@nnrp1.deja.com>, atanasmarkov@my-deja.com wrote:

> In article <7izx5.5013$m8.924731@news1.telusplanet.net>,
>   "Byron Q. Desnoyers Winmill" <wbdesnoy@ucalgary.ca> wrote:
> > While not a software archive per say, creating a catalogue of known
> > Apple II software might be useful.  Such an archive could include the
> > name of the software, the copyright date and owner, distribution
> media,
> > intended platform (ie. model) and system requirements, operating
> system,
> > disk catalogue, and some form of checksum.  A description of the
> > software, and whether there are any known derivatives (ie. is the
> trademark
> > still valuable) could also be significant.
> >
> > What would this catalogue allow us to do?  It would allow us to
> preserve
> > the past, before all known copies are destroyed.  If there is a large
> > volume of "discarded" software (ie. the version nor concept no longer
> hold
> > any commercial value), it may form a case for software copyright
> reform.
> > It would allow owners to check the integrity of their copies against
> other
> > known copies.  It would form the basis of physical collections, so
> that
> > interesting/significant software can be preserved.  It could also
> serve as
> > a starting point for those who want to ask authors to release
> software into
> > the public domain.
> >
> > Well, it is just an idea.  And it is an idea which ought to be safe
> from
> > the piracy police . . . and the pirates.
> >
> > Byron.
> >
> > lowlife2270@my-deja.com wrote:
> > > I've been reading, both with interest and concern, about the
> entrenched
> > > views regarding software piracy and software archival (and its
> > > associated retrieval). Clearly, people have issues with how this has
> > > been happening in the past (the Asimov topic would be an obvious
> way to
> > > prove this).
> >
> > > I propose that we build a software archive. One in which access is
> > > controlled. One in which those that post material can ensure that
> they
> > > can access their own material again. One which shows all the skills
> > > which the Apple ][ series fostered in the community (and yes, that
> > > includes the cracking of software titles). I could get into more
> > > details than this, but I don't know that they would be overly
> useful at
> > > this point. Suffice to say that there would be a cute web-based
> > > interface to the system, and people could browse through a listing
> of
> > > the current contents of the archive. I have several years'
> experience
> > > of doing this kind of work, and I'd be more than happy to apply that
> > > knowledge to something constructive like this. I'm not in it for the
> > > money (or the disk images).
> >
> >
> 
> hey, the idea for the archive is great! if we make a catalog only we'll
> loose the only chanca to save what's remaining from the Apple ][
> software. there's lots of software lost forever and if we continue
> waiting for the rest of the software to become freeware it'll be too
> late. i know there are thousands of Apple programs and games(see
> Bitcopy or Apple history) and i have seen 5-10% of these things. I know
> some collectors that have let's say 30-40% of these, but you know that
> these lists aren't full. so should we wait till the software disappears?
> i suggest we make a really big archive of everything available now! we
> must save the memories for Apple II. and you know there are lot's of
> copyrighted things for the Apple II, but do you think anything can be
> sold? so why do companies still keep their copyrights? they all have to
> do what Apple did- make their software freeware.
> 
> 
> Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
> Before you buy.

-- 
== Jon Bettenct = Prgmr, Writer, Mathematician, Lisa Simpson Fan ==
= http://dimension18.cjb.net = ICQ76731065 = jonrelay@napanet.net =
The only thing worse than dreaming about your math final is waking
with the realization that you still have to take it. -- Paige Fox