Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!cs.utexas.edu!asuvax!hrc!force!covertr
From: covertr@force.UUCP (Richard E. Covert)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: ST S/ware Rental Places
Summary: No Way, Jose!!
Keywords: Software , rental, atari, st
Message-ID: <48822c87.14a1f@force.UUCP>
Date: 7 Feb 90 22:09:48 GMT
References: <2625@cunixc.cc.columbia.edu> <25723@brunix.UUCP> <26232@brunix.UUCP> <28201@brunix.UUCP>
Organization: gte
Lines: 71

In article <28201@brunix.UUCP>, rjd@cs.brown.edu (Rob Demillo) writes:
> 
> The reason I can say this is because I have attended ST User Group
> meetings in three different communities. In all three cases, the
> scene is entirely the same: a brief meeting is held, some software
> is demoed, then what can only be described as an orgy of software
> piracy begins. Its mallicious, its organized, and its massive.
> There is usually two or three double disked STs set up, with an
> operator at each. Club members bring their own diskettes, and they
> are free to choose from a menu that not only includes public domain
> and shareware, but also commercial copies of Lattice C, Word Perfect,
> Games (there are copy protection buster programs available for all to
> use), spredsheets, business software, etc etc etc...
        ^^^^^^^^^^^  spreadsheets?? <grin>

> 
> I have *never* seen anything like it. When I brought it up to those
> present, the attitude was pretty similar to what I've seen on this
> net: either alot of snickering "why shouldn't we?" to "Hey, we have to
> test this tuff out before we buy it, don't we?" Quite literally
> 100's of copies of commercial software left the premises on those
> evenings.
> 
> I have been to IBM and Amiga user gorup meetings, and I have
> *never* seen that type of blatant theft. Sure, there were some 
> mumbled exchanges of unlabeled disks between people, but nothing
> on the scale or magnitude that I have seen at Atari meetings. 
> 
> The only Atari meetings where I have not seen that activity are meetings
> conducted by the BCS is Boston.
> 
> 
>  - Rob DeMillo			| Internet: rjd@brown.cs.edu     


Well, all I can say is that WE DON'T DO THAT at PHAST!!!

I repeat
WE DON'T DO THAT at PHAST!!!WE DON'T DO THAT at PHAST!!!
WE DON'T DO THAT at PHAST!!!
WE DON'T DO THAT at PHAST!!!

I have never heard of Atari clubs doing that. When I lived in Denver I attended
both 8bit and ST clubs, and in neither club was Piracy allowed!!! In fact,
it was never even mentioned in the Denver clubs.

And I know for a fact that we don't pirate software in Phoenix. I work as a full time
programmer and there is NO WAY that I would be President of a Club that allowed,
or even tolerated, Piracy.

I don't know how many other clubs do allow that, but you can attend any of our 
club meetings, which are always held on the Second Saturday of the month, and
see for yourself!!


In fact, I am trying to get Special Interest Groups started so that we can
split up after the demos (gotta wow the folks with the latest games :-) )
and talk about favorite programs. I sent out a survey this week to all members
to find out what they what in a meeting.

.
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-- 
 Richard E. Covert, Lead Engineer of Software Tools Group
 AG Communications Systems, Phoenix AZ   (602) - 581-4652
 TCP/IP: covertr@gtephx
 UUCP: {ncar!noao!asuvax | uunet!zardoz!hrc | att}!gtephx!covertr