Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!hellgate.utah.edu!helios.ee.lbl.gov!ucsd!usc!apple!portal!cup.portal.com!Ordania-DM From: Ordania-DM@cup.portal.com (Charles K Hughes) Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc Subject: Re: Why do people pirate software? Message-ID: <32794@cup.portal.com> Date: 14 Aug 90 20:30:35 GMT References: <1462fullerr@yvax.byu.edu> <2847@bruce.cs.monash.OZ.AU> <2051@cod.NOSC.MIL> <32634@cup.portal.com> <2053@cod.NOSC.MIL> Organization: The Portal System (TM) Lines: 88 X-Local-Date: 14 Aug 90 13:30:35 PDT Bill Marsh writes: ------------------------ >In article <32634@cup.portal.com> Ordania-DM@cup.portal.com (Charles K Hughes) > writes: >> Hmmm...SEA vs Philip Katz, Apple vs Microsoft, Lotus vs Paperback, etc. > >> Flame...how long have you been in Timbuktoo? :) > >> SEA vs Philip Katz - I believe this was actually a trademark battle [do you >>know that using the ARC(TM) logo as a file extender is illegal? ] > >So, PK has come up with ZIP, which is a better, faster, and more compact >storage method. Also note, this was settled out of court, so no legally >binding decision was made from this action. I agree, ZIP is much better [and I hope SEA is badly hurt by it too! :) ] However, this doesn't change the fact that PK was strangled in court by a company able and willing to waste his time and money in court. If there were no copyright/trademark stupidities such as this we would have better software - PK would have continued with his ARC programs (adding ZIP compression,etc). If you compare SEA's current ARC to the one before the suit, you won't find much of a difference. This indicates a willingness to play in court but not in the marketplace. > >Using 'ARC' is only illegal if your 'ARC' file is not compatible with the >'ARC' utility from SEA. It seems simple enough to get SEA's approval, >though I dislike having to give SEA any source code. Seems a perfect reason to not have copyrights to me. This is the same as saying I I can't play PREPPIE because it is a takeoff of PACMAN. > >You have to remember, in cases that are settled 'out of court', that no >law was applied (or tested). In SEA v. PKWARE, PK (i believe) gave in >because of other things. Yeah, he gave in because he didn't have the money to fight the suit. The effect was a 'win' for SEA by precedent. > >> Apple vs Microsoft - Microsoft licensed the MAC interface, Apple got ticked >>when they used it for Windows & PM. > >And it's still in court. It would appear that Microsoft will win, based on >the current round of judgements in the case. I think Apple still hasn't >shown what is in Windows v2.0 that was not in Windows v1.0 that was 'invented' >by Apple. (i.e. there is no trashcan in Windows) You're right, MS may win (and I hope they do) but in the meantime it has cost MS and the end user a great deal of time and money. > >> Lotus vs Paperback - look and feel crapola (some merit to this suit, but >>so little that the suit did a great deal more harm to the community at >>large than Paperback did to Lotus). > >The Judge didn't mention 'look and feel', just that the Lotus menu system >was unique and non-obvious, not that the spreadsheet has rows and columns. Kinda funny that Lotus is going after Borland then, eh? > >IMHO, I think that all three of the cases were based on greed, and only >greed. Instead of continuing to develope and improve their software, the >companies decided to use the courts to protect their market advantage, >which I think is wrong. Yep, they sure are...and that is what you asked for. (see previous posting) >Anything new and unique (Which SEA's ARC isn't, BTW) >should be rewarded with copyrights or patents. I disagree on what is 'new and unique' as does Lotus, Apple, and SEA. The difference is that they are willing to go to court and I am willing to make something better. > >Bill >-- >Bill Marsh, Naval Ocean Systems Center, San Diego, CA >{arpa,mil}net: bmarsh@cod.nosc.mil >uucp: {ihnp4,akgua,decvax,dcdwest,ucbvax}!sdcsvax!nosc!bmarsh >"If everything seems to be coming your way, you're probably in the wrong lane. Charles_K_Hughes@cup.portal.com