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Re: ProDOS downloads

Paul Schlyter wrote:

In article <mNCdne2g08EsqGTZnZ2dnUVZ_vudnZ2d@comcast.com>,
Michael J. Mahon <mjmahon@aol.com> wrote:

Eric Shepherd wrote:
On 2006-09-01 22:28:45 -0400, Lyrical Nanoha <lyricalnanoha@dosius.ath.cx> said:
There's always ftp.apple.asimov.net I suppose... dunno about legit but certainly free (it hasn't stopped me from leeching anything!)
Apple doesn't allow the ProDOS System Disk 4.0.2 (the last version of it) to be distributed online. Syndicomm sells it through its online store. though. 

So let me get this straight--if anyone is willing to charge for
something, then it can't be distributed free?
Not quite.... it works like this: if the copyright holder has decided 
it cannot be distributed for free, then it cannot legally be distributed
for free.
If it's distributed for free illegally, and it's not sold anywhere 
and the copyright holder is not interested in selling it, he'll
probably take no action, and the people distributing it for free will
get away with it.
But if it's distributed for free illegally while being sold elsewhere, 
it's much more likely that the copyright holder will object and take
action.
And you're not allowed to sell the stuff either without permission from 
the copyright holder.....

That's a crock.
No, not a crock, it's Capitalism.... 

I understand the legalities, Paul, but all Apple usergroups were allowed
to distribute ProDOS and other Apple "system" disks for amounts that
were usually just media cost (or free if you brought your own).

It seems to me that this is the deal that Syndicomm has, too.  I'm
sure that Apple never granted anyone an *exclusive* right (except
Claris in its day).

Flash forward to today.  There are still people who want to get
physical disks, and Syndicomm (among others) is there to provide
them for a small distribution fee.  But today's Apple usergroup
is virtual, and is Internet-based, with "distribution costs" that
approach zero.

So why isn't it completely consistent to have the system master
disk images available for download, for those satisfied with bits,
not physical media?  (Like bringing your own blank disk to a meeting.)

Apple used to have them online for free download themselves (do they
still?).

-michael

New, faster SUDOKU v2.0 solver for Apple II's!
Home page:  http://members.aol.com/MJMahon/

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