WHICH CAME FIRST THE CHICKEN OR THE EGG ??????????????

WELL HERE IS AN EASIER ONE ...............
WHICH CAME FIRST THE PIRATE OR THE COPY PROTECTION ?????

Obviously the Pirate came first and as a result of the Pirate we now have
increasing copy protection.   Several programmers have recently written
on this subject and I want to say that I feel they are justified and I
support them strongly.

In the beginning there was NO copy protected programs with Adam but the
wide spread piracy in the Adam world soon changed this.

You must keep in mind that with Adam there is a much smaller user base
than with many of the other computers.  Therefore piracy has a much
greater effect as this small potential market is made even smaller by
Piracy.

I know some pirates and I know some programmers and the programmers are
right.  They are entitled to a right on their investment of time.

The Adam programmers are not rich, large companies.  They are indiviudal
Adam owners such as yourselves who are spending late evenings working on
Adam programs when you or I are relaxing, watching TV, etc.

They are entitled to something for the harsh words and dirty looks they
get from the family for ignoring them to spend time on programs for you &
I to make our Adam more usable for us.

MY POSITION AS STATED BEFORE REMAINS:
   KILL A PIRATE FOR ADAM,  ONLY YOU CAN PREVENT PIRACY.

There is the back problem and that is a legitimate concern.  I feel that
programmers would be better off raising their prices a FEW dollars and
automatically including a back up with each order.  That should satisfy
the back up problem.

I would like to see some of those complaining about the copy protection
spend many hours of their time for no return and not be upset about it.

There apparently is an even worse problem than the individual pirate,
some programmers feel that some retailers are making unauthorized copies
and selling them.  The greater majority of Adam retailers are fine and
honorable people, serving the Adam world well.   However some programmers
do feel that some retailers are taking short cuts.

On the subject of copy protection, I had proposed in the past that the
software programmers join together.  That they internally mark each disk
so they can tell what disk came from where etc.  If you then suspect a
certain retailer as being a pirate, write down the internal coding, and
also put the internal coding info in a sealed envelope and mail to
yourself, so it will get post marked and do NOT open when it comes back.
That way, we can prove in the future what the coding was and the time at
which we established that fact.    Then for the retail cost of your item,
I will have an Adamite, not well known or associated with myself or you,
place an order for that item from that retailer.   He would forward it
UNOPENED to you or myself and we would open the item in the presence of
some impartial witness.  Then if the coding showed it to be a pirated
version, we would be set to take some action.

The action could include: (l) my making an attorney demand on the
retailer for a full accounting, payment of royalties, etc.; (2)
publishing this info in the Adam world and trying to isolate this
retailer, Adamites should boycott him & his products; &/or (3) refering
the matter to the authorities.
I would like to see the producers agree to work on such a plan or any
other plan they may come up with.

I also had thought that each AUG and newsletter could make a condition of
their membership or subscription that the subscriber-member, etc. agree
not to condone, cooperate in or engage in piracy.   Then if we caught an
individual the groups &/or newsletters would be justified in dropping him
as he broke his agreement with them and we could start isolating or
cutting off these pirates from their Adam contacts.   Again just a
thought.

I have known both pirates and programmers and since working with several
programmers on Adult items as well as general family stuff, realize what
the programmers go thru for the very scant return.

I feel that if we solve the piracy problem, the copy protection problem
will then disappear.   To borrow that now old saying, IF OFFERED PIRATED
SOFTWARE, JUST SAY NO.........

This is a problem which we can solve if we all work together on it.  I
suggest you read the articles of Ed Jenkins in August Adams Alive and Jim
Walters in his Walters Software newsletter to also have the benefit of
their thoughts on this matter.

REMEMBER............PIRACY IS ADAM'S WAY OF SAYING GOODBYE.......

Barry Wilson (ST.L.AUG; Adam News Network).


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