Re: Concerning Apple II archives online from Apple Computer ftp site

[Rubywand <rubywand@swbell.net>]

Daniel Zimmerman writes ...
> 
> In article <20000503152333.14591.00002393@ng-ch1.aol.com>,
> cturley2@aol.com (Cturley2) wrote:
> 
 ....
> 
> I assume they've now been taken down from the places they were made
> available outside Apple? I'd certainly hope so.

     Why? The files available from Apple require patching and are barely
accessible unless you have a Mac-- which excludes most users.

     If a site publicly offers plain A2-compatible ShrinkIt System 6.0.1 files
for downloading and Apple does not object, why should you?

     Similarly, if a site publicly offers the IIgs ROM for download by Bernie
IIgs emulator users and Apple does not object, why should you?


> 
> (A couple of years ago, I actually tried to get permission from Apple to
> make Apple II system software available on the Caltech archive. They
> didn't give it to me. Oh well.)
 ....

     A worthy effort; but, as you now know, doomed. The owner of a product can
not openly agree to permitting free distribution of a product without, in
effect, saying "this stuff has no commercial value".  Sure, the owner retains
product rights; but, should anyone abuse the rights, the owner can expect to
obtain zilch for "damages". Openly granting free distribution destroys an
owner's chief means of defending ownership rights.

     Had you simply avoided asking for permission and offered the system
software Apple would not have minded a bit. Very likely, the company would
have been glad to have II users go somewhere else for System, HyperCard, etc.
downloads. Everyone would have benefited.



Rubywand