Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!apple!mjohnson
From: mjohnson@Apple.COM (Mark B. Johnson)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: Apple FTP site opens
Message-ID: <33153@apple.Apple.COM>
Date: 14 Jul 89 20:16:22 GMT
References: <5466@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu>
Organization: Apple Computer Inc, Cupertino, CA
Lines: 36

In article <5466@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu> PFTERRY@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu writes:
>Mark,
>
>This is a welcome change. I can almost believe that Apple is trying to support
>developers. Particularly those who don't have a great deal of money to spend.
>The prices in the recent APDALog made me wonder.
>
>However, I would think that, at the very least, the site should also include
>the software that gets posted on the larger networks. Recently the 32-bit 
>quickdraw software , the 6.0 LaserWriter drivers, MacsBug 6.1, and ResEdit 1.2 
>were uploaded to CompuServe, GEnie, and Delphi for all to download. Surely the 
>same general principles apply to an ftp site that do to those larger networks, 
>aside from the obvious difference of--ahem--payment.

We are working with the licensing problems for these things.  The MAIN
difference between an FTP site and these other methods of electronic
distribution is that we have no way of knowing WHO gets the files from this
site.  The other electronic services have records of a person assigned to an
ID, etc., and we do not (nor, in many cases, do the local site administrators).
From a legal point of view, this is a major obstacle for electronic
distribution. (We are not talking about dealers, etc. here.)

All I can say is that I will personally guarantee that anything we can legally
put out for distribution, we will.  I can also promise that we are working
VERY hard to work out an agreement which will let us post these sorts of
things without threatening our copyrights on them.  When we can work out
the details and do it properly, we will.


Mark B. Johnson                                            AppleLink: mjohnson
Developer Technical Support                         domain: mjohnson@Apple.com
Apple Computer, Inc.         UUCP:  {amdahl,decwrl,sun,unisoft}!apple!mjohnson

"You gave your life to become the person you are right now.  Was it worth it?"
                                                         - Richard Bach, _One_