Re: Let's End This FAQ Dilemna

[jhntggtz@execpc.com (John Teggatz)]

In article <61tulj$67g$1@client3.news.psi.net>, !smentzer@pacbell.net
(Steve Mentzer) wrote:

> I have a novel idea.
> 
> Why doesn't the entire (technically adept) apple II community get
together and 
> create a FAQ. If 10 knowledgable people get together and pool their
resources, 
> it really wont take all that long, and then Nathan can go off into the corner 
> and do whatever he wants, because he will no longer be holding the FAQ as 
> ransom for his own selfish agenda.
> 
> And the nice thing is that a complete rewrite of the FAQ will be free of
rants 
> and religious undertones, and !!wiz-bang!! might even be more accurate
than the 
> current FAQ (which is being held hostage by some right wing terrorist wacko).
> 
> 
> Sound like a good idea?

Absolutely. I wish I was technically qualified to help, but I'm not. And I
would advise everyone not to be too intimidated by Nathan's so-called
"copyright." The technical information, if it belonged to anyone, would
belong to Apple or Woz. And Woz would insist it be free, I am sure of that. 
Other stuff, like names, addresses and phone numbers of vendors cannot be
copyrighted, since anyone and everyone already has access to them through
open and public sources; they merely have to compile them - that's where
the real work is, but that isn't something that warrants or deserves
protection, because (I repeat myself) anybody is free to do it for him or
herself (it's an open, free, competitive market). Any other information
(tips, tricks, how-to's etc.) are probably already in the public domain, or
could be contributed anew to an all-new FAQ. So yeah, let's go for it.

I am a bit surprised Apple II users got themselves into this position...
they always had the reputation of being the wild, uncontrollable, open and
free, do-it-yourselfer free spirits. To be even a little bit under the
thumb of some small-time weaselboy control freak is ridiculous!

John T.