Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!think.com!hsdndev!cmcl2!esquire!baumgart From: baumgart@esquire.dpw.com (Steve Baumgarten) Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.apps Subject: Re: All Commercial Software Developers or Companies (pls read) Message-ID: Date: 23 Jun 91 19:36:11 GMT References: <56971@nigel.ee.udel.edu> Sender: news@DPW.COM Followup-To: comp.sys.mac.apps Organization: Davis Polk & Wardwell Lines: 104 In-reply-to: johnston@minnie.me.udel.edu's message of 23 Jun 91 01:47:51 GMT In article <56971@nigel.ee.udel.edu> johnston@minnie.me.udel.edu (Bill Johnston) writes: Some background: "SPA" stands for the "SoftWare Publishers Association". I think it's fair to characterize them as an organization that promotes an "activist" approach to dealing with the problem of software piracy. This "activist" approach is similar to the approach used by store detectives when you walk out the door with an armful of merchandise for which you haven't paid. That's why stores do more than just post signs saying "Please don't steal." To be a bit less fair, I would also characterize them as an industry "hit squad" who look after the interests of the big software houses. I don't know who pays their electric bill, but I haven't heard of any small-time developer who has kicked in $$ for SPA. Have you asked? Or are you making an assumption? Since we're all going to be making assumptions in this discussion, shall I assume that by your disapproval of the SPA you actively support software piracy? Perhaps we shouldn't assume things after all. From the description offered by Mr. Mora, SPAudit seems to be software tool designed to facilitate corporate software-witch-hunts. In other words, a convenience for the person whose happy task is to skulk through the office after hours and document the contents of everyone's hard disk for comparison against the corporate 'master list'. This seems accurate. How else could one tell whether, say, General Motors has purchased one copy of PageMaker and distributed it to every person in their employ. By the way, you don't think that that's right, do you? GM should have to purchase more than just one copy of a program; it's just people like you -- the little folks -- who are exempt, right? Will this put another nickel in the pocket of ANYBODY in the software industry? The answer is no, it will not. What a singularly bizarre answer. How on earth do you arrive at this conclusion? There are two possibilities here: either the illegal softare is deleted or it is paid for. If it is deleted, then yes, no one has made any more money. If not, than your conclusion is wrong. I would suggest to you, however, that if 10,000 employees at GM use PageMaker every day, and GM has in fact purchased only one copy of the program, that Aldus will be receiving a rather large check. But let's take a look at an imaginary scenario, so we can see what is likely to happen, and who is likely to be the beneficiary [...] Enter "smilin' Fred". (You know Fred, don't you? The computer support "expert" down in the MIS department who was so helpful when you had that problem getting MacTCP to work with the new network setup? Sure, he was the guy that answered your question by offering to check to make sure that you hadn't "messed up" your CONFIG.SYS file ...). [rest of scenario deleted] This is a wonderful scenario, but I could come up with one just as wonderful. Let's say that I write some software and register it with the SPA. And let's say that it's so simple, wonderful, and elegant that everyone wants a copy and no one can live without it. Steve Baumgarten's Super Duper MacPeriod, the system extension that automatically types a period for you whenever you end a sentence, takes the Mac community by storm, and it seems that everyone is using it. But no one, it seems, has paid for it. Or at least very few people have. Now that I've spent two years of my life developing this wonderful software, I find myself faced with overdue bills, an angry landlord, and three hungry cats. No fear, I say, the royalties will start rolling in any day now. Surely as soon as people find out how useful Super Duper MacPeriod is, they'll rush right out to the store, plop down a measly $29.95, and I'll be rolling in money. But what happens instead? Well, what happens is that GM buys one copy and installs it on all their Macs. Or let's say they buy one copy, install it on one of their Macs, but then look the other way when all of their employees line up in the hall, blank floppy disks in hand, to take free copies. Now we're at the sad ending. The sad ending is that Steve Baumgarten heads back to that landscaping truck, broke and dejected, while Super Duper MacPeriod simultaneously makes MacUser's 10 Best list and starts appearing on BBS systems in Denmark. How's that scenario? So, who benefits from SPAudit ... besides Mr. Mora? Could it be the companies who front the money for SPA? The ones who are on "THE LIST"? I think you know the answer ... I know the answer; do you? See you on that landscaping truck... -- Steve Baumgarten | "New York... when civilization falls apart, Davis Polk & Wardwell | remember, we were way ahead of you." baumgart@esquire.dpw.com | cmcl2!esquire!baumgart | - David Letterman