Re: A time for action...

["Arkain" <rwking@no.usa.spam.net>]

Rubywand <rubywand@swbell.net> wrote in message
397F6350.D3338C1D@swbell.net">news:397F6350.D3338C1D@swbell.net...
>
>      The legal issue you mention is entirely the creation of those who do
not
> know the law. As far as legitimate law enforcement authorities are
concerned,
> there is no legal issue.
>
>      For example, like every other Apple II emulator, the Bernie IIgs
> emulator published and sold by F. E. Systems requires copy/transfer of ROM
> code copyrighted by Apple.
>
>      For years, vogon types have attacked sites distributing ancient
> software. Yet, they never once attacked the Bernie site despite the fact
that
> it promotes unauthorized distribution of IIgs ROM code and even sends
users
> to a site _they_ say is a "pirate site" to get the ROM code.
>
>      The vogon troublemakers did not attack the F. E. Systems Bernie
emulator
> site because one of the primary developers and site managers is Henrik, a
> vogon.
>
>      Meanwhile, users saw nothing wrong with promoting transfer/copy of
IIgs
> ROM code by the Bernie site. (The promotion was public, there was no
obvious
> reason why Apple should mind, and, in fact, as far as I know, Apple has
never
> publicly or privately made any request that the unauthorized distribution
or
> promotion of the distribution cease.)
>
>      So, there was no concern, debate, flak, ... i.e. no "legal issue"
> regarding the F. E. Systems web site.

Whether or not the so-called "vogons" are hypocritical is not my concern. A
rational vogon(may be an oxymoron... not sure yet) will tell you that your
argument is akin to "If a tree falls in the woods...". It would look like
this:

    If a copyright agreement is violated and no one bothers to complain, was
a law still broken?

The rational answer is "Yes, but no one cares" in both cases. The problem in
this group is that the "vogons" aparently *DO* care, at least enough to
complain when one of them isn't the one promoting the action. Such a petty
argument makes no sense to me when dealing with stuff as old and out-dated
as this.

You're right. I just want to end these pointless arguments. The fact that
I'm ready to wade through miles of legal red tape should tell you how ready
I am to end this. Some people in the group have suggested that ignoring them
will make them go away. Theere are only 2 flaws in that argument.

    1) Occasionally, they(trollers from either side) actually do contribute
something useful
    2) Ignoring them is like ignoring athlete's foot. You may be ignoring
it, but it's still there, still being replicated, and still irritating.

I've got a new solution. I'll post it in a minute...