Re: Asimov Mirror Sites Access Information

[CUTblakeney@home.com (Jeff Blakeney)]

On 31 May 2000 17:45:31 GMT, ljsilicon@aol.comSpamSUX (R.A.Guy) wrote:

>Can we count the number of developers on more than two hands? Dean, the
>platform has been abandoned by those who aren't hobbyists.

There would be more developers around if some hadn't been driven away
or given up in disgust.

By the way, the fact that people are using these machines as a hobby
does not mean that they are exempt from the law.  Piracy is piracy
regardless of whether you do it as a hobby or not.  Also, just because
a developer creates something as a hobby doesn't mean their work isn't
entitled to the same protections as a work created commercially.

>Beside the obvious software development for use on the Internet (slow and
>devoid of most Internet/web goodies), what else has been developed of late?
>SuperConvert 4 is the last that comes to mind. Bought it!

There is still software in development.  Yes, much of it is internet
based at present because we still don't have all the internet software
that we need.  However, from the sounds of things, there will probably
be some non-internet related stuff released at KFest in a couple
months.

>Because I would like to see the Apple IIs continued use. Locking up the
>resources for people who have moved on and don't care about their software is
>limiting access to newbies. Yes, there is a used software market, but that
>doesn't mean that every title is readily available.

No, not every title is readily available and no one needs every title.
People can still continue to use Apple IIs without having to break the
law.

Also, if you want to see Apple IIs continue to be used, why not do it
legally and help get titles reclassified or made available from
somewhere again rather than promoting piracy?

>That's not so. With the change in the law, the government automatically grants
>the developer automatic copyright protection.

Yes it is so.  With the software we are talking about, they went to
the bother of putting copyright notices in their software, their
manuals and writing explicit software licenses agreements that tell
you want you can and/or can't do with their copyrighted work.  Even if
they hadn't gone to this effort, the fact that the law has been
changed just means that they would have known their work would be
protected automatically and as they didn't waive their copyright they
did, in effect, ask to be protected.

>In may ways, YES! Every time the government protect "us" it comes back to us in
>higher prices. Look at your food labels! How about cigarettes? (I don't smoke
>but if you're dumb enough to do so, why should the govt get involved?) TV
>ratings, movie ratings, software ratings, CD ratings... Man, can no one take
>responsibility for themself or their actions? Oh well, that's another story.

Okay.  I can probably agree with you on certain things in regards to
this issue but as it is off topic and very subjective I don't think we
should get into it.  :-)

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| Jeff Blakeney - Dean of the Apple II University in A2Pro on Delphi     |
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