Re: The software piracy issue

[rubywand@aol.com (RUBYWAND)]

In article <4p6f4n$ano@usenet2.interramp.com>, Tom Zuchowski
<cd003508@interramp.com> writes:

>>They're only actually pirate if they actually come with the ROM images,
like
>>the popular STM emulator on the Mac.
>>....

>.... Is it your contention that stealing software is OK as long as we do
it 
>more discreetly than asimov's in-your-face way?
>

     Certainly, discretion is a solid Plus.

     Still, there is no question: stealing software is bad.

     The issue of ancient and orphaned software should have been addresses
long ago. What we need is a central Clearing-House for Old Software which
maintains a master list of all software for which copyright owners wish to
collect fees, the fee, and an address to send the fee. An option for
listers would be to have CHOS collect the fee. CHOS would get a small
piece of the action to support operations.

     CHOS would maintain a web site and also send out regular updates to
popular resource sites (like Caltech and Ground). 

     A user who, somehow, obtained a copy or emu image of a program (say,
SuperQuest) could either steal it or check the CHOS list, find the current
price for SuperQuest and send it to the copyright holder. In effect, Old
Software would be treated like shareware.

     CHOS would pretty well eliminate the valid complaints and excuses on
both sides of the issue. Since CHOS would charge no fee for a simple
listing, an Old Software copyright holder who did not list his/her stuff
would be saying "I don't care." A user who did not bother to check the
CHOS list and send the fee would be saying "I'd rather just steal it."  


Rubywand