Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!lll-winken!lll-tis!ames!ncar!mailrus!uflorida!gatech!hubcap!disd
From: disd@hubcap.UUCP (Gary Heffelfinger)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: Software development and piracy ...
Message-ID: <3889@hubcap.UUCP>
Date: 14 Dec 88 17:48:10 GMT
References: <2149@nunki.usc.edu>
Organization: Clemson University, Clemson, SC
Lines: 110

From article <2149@nunki.usc.edu>, by wdao@castor.usc.edu (Walter Dao):
> After having seen and used a lot of programs and Demos (sound + music),  I 
> will say that I prefer by far the one that took over the machine. 
> It's like comparing the freeby demo that comes with every disk (lines, dots,
> rectangle) of the workbench and these european demos.
> How about the games ? I hate the games the leave that ugly window top border
> on ... and they usually use a drab (mean ugly yuck pallette of colors.) 
And I hate the games that force me to reboot after every use.  I'm not
using a C64 anymore.  Take a look at Omnitrend's Paladin.  This is an
example of a well done game that uses the system correctly.  It is
pretty, it uses a word lookup form of protection that is done once at
the start of the game, it does not need to take over my machine, and it
runs very well on my hard disk.  I am much more likely to play it than
any game which forces me to reboot.

Oh, and it is not necessary to throw away the OS in order to remove the
"ugly window top border".

> I got myself an amiga because of the 68000 inside and the blitter 
> accompanying it . Not becaUSE of the fancy multitasking S L O W  piece of 
> sloppy code (reason for ARP) called AMIGADOS. 
Oh, come on.  AmigaDOS has nothing what so ever to do with multitasking.
Exec handles this and does it elegantly.  The old file system is slow,
but this has nothing to do with Exec.  Oh, and ARP *is* very well done.
It works well *with* the system, not against it.  It doesn't take over
the machine, and it doesn't throw out the OS.

> I wanted to sail close to the wind.  Not have some stupid machine (or blind
Sail close to the wind.  Why must a programmer be sloppy and
inconsiderate of his users to "sail close to the wind?"  Seems to me
that some pretty impressive sailing is being done already.  If you build
the ship well enough, you won't need as much wind to propel you at the
desired speed.   (As long as we're using meaningless metaphors. :-)

> user) tell me Not to do that because the rules said not to .
Blind users?  I see the Amiga's developers as visionaries, not as blind
men and women.  By calling us blind, you are calling them blind, and
nothing could be further from the truth.

> Like having a porcshe but being told to drive at 55 on the freeway ? (who
> does ?) 
I look at it more like having a Porsche when I need it, or having two
Hyundai Excels  when I need them, or having 3 pickup trucks when I need
them.  You get the idea.  (Or do you?)

> 
> so , go ahead write directly to the hardware . (dont leave that luxury only
> to the CBM programmers. they wrote the HArdware manual so that we can use
> it . so let's do it !!!) . 
Oh fercrissake, don't "Peek" and "Poke".  When CBM changes things
around, things will break, and once again Ami will get blasted for not being
reliable.

> a software booting with a fast loading hires picture and playing some 
> funky piece of music will ALWAYS grab my attention. 
What's to stop you?  This is the nature of multitasking.  I've seen this
done before, and rules were not broken in the process.

> Remember, not all amiga users are developpers (or usenet type of users). 
> they are the minority.
True, but neither are they all 13 year old boys who go "ooooh" and "ahhhhh" 
over the latest "rully rad" game.  
As more Amiga users get hard disks, (and they will) fewer and fewer
people will be willing to put up with the rebooting after every
application nonsense.

> by the way ,  wares that take over the machine CAN work with hard disk and 
> memory expansions . One does not rule out the other. 
Really?  If you throw out the OS, how is your program going to know about my
hard disk?  And even if you can find my hard disk, do I want you f*cking
with it, and the rest of the data on it, by using your "under the table"
means?

And if by "take over" you simply mean, forcing me to boot with your
possibly heavily protected boot disk, how do I get the device drivers 
associated with my hard disk into their proper places?  And don't talk
to me about "dedicated partitions".  I have my HD partitioned just like
I want it, thank you, so don't even think about forcing me to change
things for every gee whiz game that comes along.

> finally :
> reward for pirate busting ? 
> well after he had denounced some name, the snitch will be on the hit list ,
> unable to get on any "GOOD" bbs.  and treated like SH*T by other fellow
> bbs'er (hate mail etc...)
Sounds like you need to find some better friends.  :-)

I don't like the snitch method of "pirate busting" either.  I prefer
education.  It worked with me, it worked with a friend of mine, it can
work for others.

> 
> Technology gave us the means, so use it ! and even better ABUSE it ! 
I'm not even going to touch this one, lest I burst a blood vessel in my
brain.







Gary (Who has been in an argumentative mood lately.  This too shall
pass.)





-- 
Gary R Heffelfinger   -  Not speaking for Clemson University