Re: Another Modest Proposal: Pirating vs Archiving

[wbaguhn@nyx10.cs.du.edu (Will Baguhn)]

In article <4t5ruq$2md@blackice.winternet.com>,
Nathan Mates <nathan@parka.winternet.com> wrote:
>   The legality of a piece of software is fairly easy to determine: we
>have the copyright laws, and there's no big push to change them at
>all. The legality of what the US military does is a _far_ more hot
>button issue where the legality is undertermined, and people's
>personal feelings play a far more important role. I want to stay to
>the facts, and not get sidetracked off to issues better left to
>congress, the president, the supreme court, and many special interest
>groups.
>
>>[Demonstration that Asimov fails my proposed criteria snipped.]
>
>>I guess you believe that if the copyright holder of Bard's Tale
>>does not wish to distribute the game, no one else should either.
>>If you didn't buy the game when it was available... too bad!
>>You'll never own it, until the copyright legally expires.
>
>   Here's something that a lot of people have been missing in this
>whole argument: you _CAN_ legally buy the software used. Garage sales,
>comp.sys.apple2.marketplace, and the like will get you _legal_ masters
>of pieces of software not currently in print. Unfortunately, that
>involves spending money, something which is an anathema to pirates.
>
>   I have personally picked up many Apple II pieces of software off
>c.s.a2.m, stuff that's not sold in stores, and I didn't have the
>money, ability (I grew up in Pakistan due to my parent's jobs-- _no_
>Apple II software was available), or inclination to buy at the time.
>Now I own it, and my copy is 100% legal. Came with full documention,
>and sometimes even boxes, stuff you won't get off Asimov for most to
>all games.

Yes, it is POSSIBLE to get the masters legally.  It's just not EASY.

The easiest place to get them legally is csa2.marketplace.  Even then,
you usually have to wait until someone decide to abandon the Apple II world,
and then buy up parts of what they've collected over the years.

It's not just a monetary issue... it's an availability issue.
-- 
                                      --- Rev. SPQR (wbaguhn@nyx.net)