Re: Asimov Mirror Sites Access Information

[Rubywand <rubywand@swbell.net>]

The Apple II Mail Group writes ...
> 
> > Why does it upset you so much? You'll put me to sleep
>

     See! Once you realize that nothing illegal is going on, the whole debate
gets boring.

 
> I'll give you two reasons I oppose the illegal uploads, Ernest. Take the
> example of the AppleWorks 5.0 upload

<sigh>


> which I recently checked on out of
> curiosity. (I don't need to pirate it;

     Me neither.


> I've been a beta tester for AppleWorks
> since version 3.0,

     And I've been a reviewer since before AppleWorks.


> and have a closet full of legal copies.) AppleWorks 5.0 was
> released in 1995. That's not 15 or 20 years ago by any stretch of the
> imagination.
> 
> First of all, when this upload first appeared about 2 years ago, 
> AppleWorks 5 was still being commercially  sold. The programmers, who are
> my friends and with whom I worked closely for many years, still had a
> small but significant income from its sales. AppleWorks 5 is no longer
> sold commercially, but disks of version 4, almost as good, are plentiful
> on the used market.

     At the time Awks 5 became available for free download it was well past
its prime as a money-maker for the only distributor. A check with Scantron's
A2 rep revealed that sales were nearly non-existent. (Seems like the check was
around summer and the sales for that year stood at four copies.)  Despite
this, nothing was done to lower the price to something which might boost
sales-- probably because Scantron was no longer producing copies and was
content to sell off the small existing stock to anyone willing to pay an
outrageous price.

     Awks 5 was no longer a viable commercial product. It was headed for
extinction unless it became available for free download.

     Of course, the usual complainers attacked the free distribution. (At
about the same time, this same bunch launched a flamewar because a newbie
looking for a word processor was directed to Asimov for Awks _2_.)  The
response to the attackers was "If the copyright owner objects, it will be
removed."

     Despite whining, threats, and endless ranting, the copyright owner never
requested removal of Awks 5. So, it remains available and so does the update
to v5.1.


 ....

> I have no particular opinion about the older 
> games, but in my opinion this is a
> real case of illegal piracy.

    "Illegal piracy"? This could lead to a new badge!


> AppleWorks is owned by Apple Computer, who will
> probably never release it because they want people to buy their current
> "AppleWorks," which is a completely different program for the Mac.

     Do you expect anyone to believe that Apple Computer has not been told
that Awks 5.1 is available for free download? (Most likely, the company has
been repeatedly emailed, badgered, and harassed about Evil "Appleworks 5
Piracy!" by all of those rotten, corrupt users.)

     Clearly, Apple knows; and, clearly, Apple does not object.

     If the copyright owner does not object to having an old product
distributed to thousands of appreciative users, why should you?



Rubywand