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From: mrs@netcom.COM (Morgan Schweers)
Newsgroups: comp.os.msdos.programmer
Subject: Re: Austin Code Works (Summary)
Message-ID: <1991Apr20.104925.15613@netcom.COM>
Date: 20 Apr 91 10:49:25 GMT
References: <28108@uflorida.cis.ufl.EDU>
Organization: McAfee Associates
Lines: 57

Some time ago jdb@reef.cis.ufl.edu (Brian K. W. Hook) happily mumbled: 
>In summary, the following can be said of Austin Code Works:
>
>WHAT IT IS:
>
>Austin Code Works is a for-profit organization that sells software, in a
>nutshell.  A great portion of their software is shareware/public
>domain/free ware, but they charge exhorbitant amounts for the software,
>implying that is is being registered.  From what I understand, it is NOT
>being registered with the purchase.

    A few questions are in order...  The first one, I must ask, is:
Are the ViruScan or CleanUp programs from McAfee Associates being sold
through this corporation?  (If they are, PLEASE E-Mail me with the price
they are charging.)  The next question is:  Are the providing support for
their software?  (I.E.  Do they support the user who is trying to get
GCC to run on their system, etc.?)

>
>The commercial software that they are selling is also fairly high priced.
>
>GENERAL FEELINSG:
>
>Of the 7 people that responded, only 1 felt like he got his money's worth.
>The other 6 were highly disappointed with what they received.  One case in
>point is their "Crunch Pak" which consists of PD/shareware prorgams.  They
>sell it for 30 dollars.  IT CAN ALL BE DOWNLOADED FOR FREE FROM SOMEWHERE.

     This is usually not a bad thing.  Most Shareware/Freeware sources say
that you can distribute the software given a minimal (usually less than $5)
disk handling charge.  ACW may have decided that it means per-disk.  If
you get 5 or 6 disks in that 'Crunch Pak', then they are probably cooperating
with the terms.  Remember, please, that not all people have modems.  Not all
computer users can download or FTP something from their nearest site.  ACW
is NOT allowed, however, to charge more than what the shareware/PD/Freeware
authors consider to be an adequate disk handling fee.

>
>SUMMARY:
>
>Almost all of the stuff ACW offers can be had for free SOMEWHERE on the
>net.  They are ripping off shareware authors (by reselling stuff and not
>registering it ), to the point where I would be led to beleive that they
>are breaking the law in some cases.
>
>Brian

    This is only true if 1) they are claiming that the software *IS*
registered after purchase, and/or 2) are charging more than the Shareware
author has authorized for disk handling fees.

                                                   --  Morgan Schweers
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    These opinions are not the opinions of my company, since I haven't
gotten them into this yet.  If, however, our product is involved...
                                                   --  mrs@netcom.com
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