Re: Net piracy?

[ballweb@CSOS.ORST.EDU (Brian Ballweber)]

BChen (brian.chen@inetlink.berksys.com) wrote:
: Could anyone tell me how this pertains to distribution of out of print
: software on the net?  What do I get for "buying" this software?  Do I get
: tech support and guaranteed media?  What if the publisher doesn't sell the
: software or worse, the publisher is out of business?  

: I'm talking about Apple 2 software...not PC software or Mac software, but
: *Apple 2* software.  Apple quit making and supporting the platform years
: ago.  For the majority of this software we're talking about software no
: longer published for a machine no longer built and supported.  

: I think this area is more grey than some here would like to believe but
: morally (as a developer myself) I have no problem pulling some of this
: stuff down for the Apple II emulators to relive old times.  If someone
: wants to resell the software and guarantee its quality or sell a
: commercial bundle I'll buy it...until then this seems to be the only way
: to acquire some software.

: The people that flamed the author of STM until he took the images site
: down should take a reality check.  I'm sure he would have removed specific
: software if requested but denouncing the whole site was somewhat
: irresponsible.  

I second this, especially the last part.  Im not basing my argument on the
law, im basing it on common sense <how original eh?>.  By not letting people
post any STM files <permission or not> your not helping the Apple II, your
driving the nails in the coffin.  Face it, with the exception of the _very_
few recent Apple II programs <ie Proterm> which since they are still
being actively sold as a commercial product shouldnt be posted anywhere,
there are no other ways of obtaining _old_ Apple II software.  Exactly what
do you think people with emulators should do then???  Mabye they should
only use stuff they write themselves, gee thatd be useful...
 
In a related side note, for all these net people who are all exicted about
writing a GS emulator for whatever platform, why dont you take a look at the
current Apple II emulators and take a look at how nicely we're killing
them now that they exist.
 
And as a final note on the cassandra site, what exactly are all you intending
to do about it <just out of curiosity>.  Is there any basis to prosecute?
If not then it would seem that all this accomplishes nothing but blowing a
lot of hot air...  Oh sorry, I forgot, current net procedure is to hassle the
site to death...
 
- Brian