Re: GREEDY CD-ROM PUBLISHING WEASELS

[rwifall@nmsu.edu (Richard J Wifall)]

Glenn Taylor (gtaylor@sr.hp.com) wrote:
: Richard J Wifall (rwifall@nmsu.edu) wrote:
[Read the original post to see what I said]
: Why get mad at the publishing/distribution channel?  Aren't they doing
: you a favor by publishing and distributing your program for FREE?

	Not in the least.  Generally authors get _PAID_ to allow
people to publish their software.

	However, this isn't just about being paid.  I would have just as
big a problem if those were freeware programs.  In all my readme files
it very specifically states that if someone wants to distribute my
programs in some form that doesn't meet my requirements (ie on media
that would cost more then $5 in this case) to contact me.  How hard is
it to meet that simple requirement?  If I agree that the CD-ROM sounds
like a good idea, then I give them my written approval and everyone is
happy.  If don't then they don't put it on the CD-ROM.

Hint: Read Joe Kohn's and Nathan Mate's posts on this subject.

: Another point I was going to make...  Yeah, it would be nice if every-
: one who published a shareware CDROM would contact the programs author
: to ask permission, BUT you have to understand how that would add to the
: production costs.  Most shareware CD's have thousands of programs on
: them.  Can you really expect a CDROM publisher to call each and every
: author, author's lawyer, etc... to gain permission for publication?
: What do you think it would cost?  How long would it delay the produc-
: tion process?  Would they be able to reach every author, or have some
: authors moved to a new address?

Do you realize that if this CD-ROM was being made by a company in the
United States that I could sue them for both a cease and desist order
as well as monetary damages?  It is possible that I could sue them
even though it is Germany, however I do not know German laws so I
don't know.

Perhaps you have heard the term CYA?

: You have to be realistic here!

Since when did the copyright laws become non-realistic?


:  |	I have no problem with shareware.  I have problems with people
:  |who don't read the documentation that I include with my software and
:  |respect the restrictions that are written in them.

: Most shareware authors get maybe 20-30% of the actual users register-
: ing.  YEAH, it would be nice if everyone was honest and you got 100%
: registration (it would be nice too if everyone would stop cheating on
: their taxes, spouses, and returned library books on time).  But alas,
: we do not live in a perfect world!  Most shareware authors know this,
: and some still manage to do quite well!

Did I say that I was all up in arms about people not paying their
shareware fees?  No.  Read my posts again.

: just my opinion...

: - Glenn

Richard "Doesn't anyone believe in intellectual property rights
anymore?" Wifall

--
rwifall@nmsu.edu