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From: Adam.Frix@p2.f200.n226.z1.FIDONET.ORG (Adam Frix)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.misc
Subject: Re: StuffIt Deluxe
Message-ID: <69947.26EB0E6F@cmhgate.FIDONET.ORG>
Date: 8 Sep 90 05:41:25 GMT
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KKL>  I feel that there are those who are concerned about what happens 
KKL>  when the day comes when either Aladdin or its owner (if it ever 
KKL>  gets bought out) decides that "hey, the format and algorithm 
KKL>  belong to us; and any entity that has it is violating our rights--we 
KKL>  want to be compensated because it has our property."  That fear 
KKL>  is valid because Aladdin is still a small company and its future 
KKL>  in the long run is uncertain.  One will never think of something 
KKL>  like this happening to Microsoft for its WORD format.  It's 
KKL>  clear that Microsoft doesn't mind having public documents stored 
KKL>  in WORD format and Microsoft won't be taken over anytime soon.

There's a good point in that.  If one demands that the format for an archiver
be made public simply because public archives are storing documents in that
format, then one should also lobby against the use of Word, MacWrite (II), etc.
files as read.me docs.  Of course, you see where that leads--to the lowest common
denominator, plain text with no pictures, no formatting, etc.  And I for one
am willing to pay a little bit _not_ to live in a lowest common denominator
world.

--Adam--


 

--  
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