Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!yale!eagle!jtreworgy
From: jtreworgy@eagle.wesleyan.edu
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: No more Cinemaware stuff for Amiga !!!????
Message-ID: <331@eagle.wesleyan.edu>
Date: 3 Aug 89 15:44:26 GMT
References: <9180.AA9180@heimat> <1989Jul30.210112.10525@ddsw1.MCS.COM> <625@uranus.UUCP> <1989Aug2.144138.24257@ddsw1.MCS.COM>
Lines: 49

In article <1989Aug2.144138.24257@ddsw1.MCS.COM>, karl@ddsw1.MCS.COM (Karl Denninger) writes:
[stuff deleted]
> 
> The self-serving statements I have seen here, basically that "well, I
> pirate, but only when necessary" are a bunch of crock.  Look, people,
> piracy is defined by the law as STEALING.  If you don't like this, then
> CHANGE THE LAW. 
> 
> Once you have done that, however, don't get pissed when there is no more
> commercial software available -- and you have to write ALL your own stuff,
> not to mention writing your own compiler to build them with!
> 
> Look at nations which don't respect Copyright at all -- NONE of the 
> commercial software products are available for sale there, because the
> publishers know damn well that they would only sell one copy.
> 
> Software development is an EXPENSIVE business.  Packages like F18
> interceptor, Dragon's Lair, "C" compilers, and others are not cheap to bring
> to market.  When you copy something without paying for it, you are stealing.
> If you cannot afford it, then GO WITHOUT.  It won't kill you.
[more deleted]
> --
> Karl Denninger (karl@ddsw1.MCS.COM, <well-connected>!ddsw1!karl)
> Public Access Data Line: [+1 312 566-8911], Voice: [+1 312 566-8910]
> Macro Computer Solutions, Inc.		"Quality Solutions at a Fair Price"

I would ask you to look back a few years ago to the UK, where there were no
copyright laws (until recently). When I had a commodore 64, I used to subscribe
to a couple UK C-64 magazines. You know what the difference between software
here and there is? In the UK, where there is (was?) presumeably lots of piracy
since there were no copyright laws for software, the average price for a
computer game (retail!) was 15 pounds (about 20 bucks) and I NEVER saw one for
more than 20 pounds. And the quality of the software was MUCH better than the
average game being cranked out in the U.S. I can tell you there is nothing more
aggravating than spending upwards of 50 bucks for a computer game which has
been much hyped in magazine articles and ads (DRAGONS LAIR DRAGONS LAIR DRAGONS
LAIR DRAGONS LAIR DRAGONS LAIR) when the game is SLOW, UNPLAYABLE and the DISKS
FAIL EVERY TWO WEEKS. I have vowed never again to buy a game without playing it
for a couple hours. I am more than happy to pay for games which offer at least
a couple hours of enjoyment... some examples for aspiring software developers.
Dungeon Master, F-18 Interceptor, Faery Tale Adventure are the first things
that come to mind. I never regretted spending money on these games, and I their
producers never regretted the fact that I played someone else's copy first.
-- 
James A. Treworgy               "You should have seen me with the poker man,
jtreworgy@eagle.wesleyan.edu     I had a honey and I bet a grand,
jtreworgy%eagle@WESLEYAN.BITNET  Just in the nick of time I looked at his hand"
Box 5033 Wesleyan Station                           -Paul McCartney
Middletown, CT 06475