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^5                {6S P E A K   Y O U R   M I N D . . . {

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^2RICK C. STARTS THE PIRACY DEBATE......

^6 Some AMOS programs have attracted the attention of hackers and there
^6are now pirate versions around with "customised" loaders, etc.

^6Hang on while I climb on my soapbox.  O.K., here goes....

^6It's  hardly  an  achievement  to  "hack" a program written in BASIC,
^6especially as most of the programs sell outright for less than £3.50,
^6but some plonkers are doing it.  Perhaps it shows the high quality of
^6some of the programs written using AMOS but it hardly lends weight to
^6the  argument  that  piracy  abounds  because  of  the  high  cost of
^6software!

^6  Right, I'll climb off again now.


^5RONNIE J. HAS HIS SAY.......

^5 Sandra  Sharkey's  note  on  her Deja Vu titles being pirated brings
^5sympathy  from my quarters.  I wholeheartedly agree with her comments
^5on  the  people  who  distribute  the  licenseware titles being a bit
^5pathetic.

^5 The  subject  of software piracy has been voiced from both the `for'
^5and `against' camps over the years in most computer magazines etc.  I
^5have  to  agree that there are points that have been raised from both
^5sides  of  the  fence that leaves me with mixed feelings.  One of the
^5major  points  that  keeps  cropping  up  (in  relation to commercial
^5software)  is  price.  Most games/entertainment titles start off with
^5the  standard  asking price of £24.99p with utilities and application
^5programs ranging from £30 or so all the way up to hundreds of pounds.
^5It has to be said that some software titles do not merit their asking
^5price  and  are  not even worth the value of the disk they are on - a
^5lot  of the games come within this bracket.  On the other hand, there
^5are  programs  that  do  bring  hours  and  weeks (and even years) of
^5entertainment,  whether it be a game or utility, and the initial cost
^5is  soon  recovered  by the joy and value that's gained by playing or
^5using that particular program.

^5 While  I  am  on  the  topic of price, there are a number of sources
^5where  cheaper commercial programs can be bought.  One example is the
^5second-hand market.  I myself bought a copy of Amos through a private
^5deal with a chap from London for only £15.  A number of off the shelf
^5monthly magazines is  another avenue to explore.  Some have a section
^5within  their  pages where readers can advertise their unwanted wares
^5and  can  normally  be  bought  at  a  fraction  of the cost from the
^5original  asking  price.There's also a number of mail-order companies
^5that  are  only  too  happy  to sell you software titles at a greatly
^5reduced price.  Bargains are to be had if you shop around.

^5 You  may  at  this  point  be  thinking  "What's all this to do with
^5Sandra's  point in connection with Licenseware?" Well, as pointed out
^5in  the above paragraphs, price is one major factor that leads to the
^5piracy of software, but with the asking price of only £3.50p per Deja
^5Vu  Licenseware,  title,  there  is no excuse whatsoever for pirating
^5these  programs.   That's  not  to  say  that  I agree with illegally
^5copying any software that you see as being overpriced.  After all, as
^5I've  already  pointed  out, there are other ways of purchasing legal
^5copies of programs.

^5 I have only skimmed the surface of this very complex topic and in no
^5way  suggest  that I've covered all the areas.  Before I close on the
^5subject,  I  won't  be  a  hypocrite by saying that I've never copied
^5programs  that  I shouldn't have, and I dare say that there are other
^5readers  of  your magazine that have also done the same.  I must add,
^5however, that this is something that I no longer practice.  I've come
^5to  appreciate  the  time  and  effort  given by everyone involved in
^5programs and appreciate also they have made it all possible to assist
^5and  entertain when using my computer.  Before I finally close I feel
^5I  do  have  to come back to the statement I made about other readers
^5who  have  copied/pirated  software.   Please  don't take it that I'm
^5accusing  anyone of being a thief.  After all, that would be "The pot
^5calling  the  kettle black", but before someone goes on to think that
^5I've  a  cheek suggesting that they are also a thief, there's the old
^5saying  "Let he who has not sinned cast the first stone...." or words
^5to that effect.  There is no getting away from the fact that I indeed
^5stole  programs.   Whether  or  not  I  found them of any use doesn't
^5change things - I did steal them.

^5 To  sum  things  up,  the service Sandra provides gets the thumbs up
^5from  my  end  and  long  may  it  last.   As  for the people who are
^5exploiting  the  programs  from her library - come on, play the game,
^5How would you yourselves feel if someone was ripping you off?

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^6RICK'S BACK with a view on Computer users' honesty on another subject
^6- SHAREWARE.

^6Hang on a sec while I climb on my soapbox again......

^6Licenseware  reflects  the sad fact that we Brits do not appear to be
^6as  honest  as  our  American counterparts.  The concept of Shareware
^6relies  on  the user making a contribution to the author if they find
^6the  program  useful  either as a "thank you", reward or incentive to
^6produce more.

^6In  return  the author sometimes offers updates, documentation, other
^6programs,  etc.   If  the  program is not to the users taste then the
^6program is expected to be deleted from the users collection.

^6This  appears to work quite well in the States but many U.K.  authors
^6feel they are being taken advantage of as contributions are often few
^6and  far  between.   Hopefully  this  only  reflects  the  fact  that
^6Shareware  is  a relatively new development which we are just getting
^6used  to  over  here.   It  may  also  reflect  confusion about how a
^6contribution in sterling can be sent to an American author in dollars
^6but  doesn't  explain  why  U.K.  authors lose out.  In the meantime,
^6Licenseware  ensures  that authors get at least some financial reward
^6for their efforts. 

^6 Right,  I'm back off the old soapbox again.  (It's the only exercise
^6I take!)

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^5        {6THANKS TO BOTH CONTRIBUTORS FOR SHARING THEIR VIEWS.{

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