Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!newstop!sun!claris!drc From: drc@claris.com (Dennis Cohen) Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.misc Subject: Re: StuffIt Deluxe Message-ID: <11217@claris.com> Date: 30 Aug 90 15:04:43 GMT References: <1990Aug20.075638.3276@rbdc> <6257@emory.mathcs.emory.edu> <2146@ux.acs.umn.edu> <1990Aug29.204448.23954@svc.portal.com> <5186@spt.entity.com> Organization: Claris Corporation, Santa Clara CA Lines: 52 mdc@spt.entity.com (Marty Connor) writes: >I strongly favor a BOYCOTT of STUFFIT DELUXE[TM] for the purposes of >distributing software until such time as their format is public >domain, and it has at least been decided that it can be implemented >efficiently on other platforms. >The current situation is just a cheap way for Alladin and Raymond Lau >to try and pull off another defacto standard under the guise of being >nice guys. >Let's keep using a format that is known and usable, and send a message >to Ray and Company that this game of getting people hooked and then >charging them is NOT ACCEPTABLE for the distribution of software in >public forums. >I welcome discussion of this topic by other members of the Macintosh >Community. Well, Ray and Aladdin have just posted StuffIt 1.6 beta to America Online, CompuServe, and GEnie (among others) as the next shareware version and it both reads and writes Deluxe format. It doesn't include the scripting, viewers, or some of the other features of Deluxe but that is what differentiates a commercial version from a shareware version in this case -- IMHO, a not unreasonable positioning. There is nothing to preclude you or anyone else from continuing to use the old version, but that might prevent you from getting some new goodies with which to play. I know that I cross-load a number of items between services as a goodwill gesture, but if I have to unstuff and then restuff in a different format to make it available to you that it probably won't happen -- it takes long enough to upload a BinHexed file now, but at least that is a one step operation. When I worked at JPL we referred to people who dug their heels in against change and enhancement because there was some cost in time, effort, or dollars to convert "dinosaurs". There is a strong similarity here and I know that we (probably) aren't going to change your mind. Ray and the folks at Aladdin are good guys and will work with people to create the multiplatform utilities; however, they are trying to make a decent living in a suddenly competitive market and to publish their format openly while Salient (DiskDoubler) and the Compactor folks keep theirs proprietary just makes sense from a business standpoint -- you license the format for a token fee to those individuals and companies who aren't out trying to eat your lunch (token being just that -- keep the lawyers at bay by "protecting" your legal rights). -- Dennis Cohen Claris Corp. **************************************************** Disclaimer: Any opinions expressed above are _MINE_!