Re: ProDOS downloads

[Sean Fahey <a2fan@hotmail.com>]

Terry Olsen wrote:

> To force someone to pay for postage & media for an otherwise free binary (by 
> not allowing download) is greedy. 

You guys have it all wrong. No one is forcing anyone to do jack. And 
free depends on who you talk to.

Syndicomm is an authorized, read *licensed* APDA distributor. They are 
in BUSINESS, and they offer a convenient way to get the ProDOS System 
Master on a real diskette for not a lot of money. They aren't authorized 
to distribute it for free.

A2Central on the other hand, is an authorized USER GROUP. Apple has very 
specific conditions for what can and can't be done by Apple II user 
groups... and we happen to have the System Masters available for 
download with permission from Apple - FOR YEARS I might add.

http://www.a2central.com/filemgmt/singlefile.php?lid=8

http://www.a2central.com/filemgmt/viewcat.php?op=&cid=3

In Apple's legal eyes - if you are not an authorized user group, 
individual or company entity, and you distribute system software, even 
for the venerable Apple II, you are doing so illegally.

Are they going to come after you? Probably not for Apple II stuff. It's 
different if you run a web site, and distribute without a filed 
authorization? The site operator or the ISP might get a cease and desist 
or a takedown letter (DMCA). We've seen that already happen when I 
shared the Apple II portion of the last Developer's CD.

Neither Syndicomm's or A2Central's operators are about to do ANYTHING to 
endanger their site's operations.

And another thing in case anyone needs to be reminded...

A2Central is NOT Syndicomm.