Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!lll-winken!lll-tis!ames!amelia!msf
From: msf@amelia.nas.nasa.gov (Michael S. Fischbein)
Newsgroups: comp.misc
Subject: Re: Piracy
Keywords: copy protection piracy
Message-ID: <589@amelia.nas.nasa.gov>
Date: 19 May 88 17:33:31 GMT
References: <9160@cisunx.UUCP> <1801@uhccux.UUCP> <807@netxcom.UUCP> <1641@looking.UUCP> <174@proxftl.UUCP> <474@white.gcm>
Reply-To: msf@amelia.nas.nasa.gov (Michael S. Fischbein)
Organization: NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA
Lines: 39

In article <474@white.gcm> dc@white.UUCP (Dave Caswell) writes:
>In article <174@proxftl.UUCP> rafael@proxftl.UUCP (Rafael Mayer) writes:
>  Why isn't it the amount of money it would cost
>you to redesign and build it yourself?  If you think it is overpriced write
>it yourself; what possible rational is there for stealing it?  
>
>Design a substitute, advertise it and sell it if you think it is so overpriced.

I've given this advice myself in the past; now I'm not so sure.

The plethora of lawsuits in the big name software industry makes this a
potentially hazardous policy.  If Rafael writes a Lotus clone, Dave, will you
agree to be responsible for his legal bills?

>Please don't tell me it is OK to steal it.  It is amazing that in a community
>where most people get paid for programming that people are trying to say
>it is OK to steal programmer's work.

I agree that one shouldn't steal it; if 1-2-3 or any other software package
isn't worth the asking price to you don't get it.  Use something else.
Boycott the company.  Don't steal it.

However, I am worried about the effects of the Lotus and Apple lawsuits
on the small, innovative programmer.  Doesn't the threat of hundreds of
thousands of dollars (or more) in legal bills tend to stifle development
as much as the "why should I develop the program if I won't get paid"
argument?  Heck, I think it's worse;  most of the good programmers I know
would keep going unless you threatened them -- which is what Lotus is
doing.
 
>Dave Caswell
>Greenwich Capital Markets                      uunet!philabs!gcm!dc

		mike

-- 
Michael Fischbein                 msf@ames-nas.arpa
                                  ...!seismo!decuac!csmunix!icase!msf
These are my opinions and not necessarily official views of any
organization.