Glad you clarified that, Bill. There's still a problem, however. You
see, much of the software Simtel is an excellent source for is software
used by 'legacy' systems -- systems which cannot run browsers which will
work with your webpage design to access lists or anything else.
There would be no problem with having to use an HTML interface to access
file lists or download, IF THE PAGES WERE PROPERLY DESIGNED AND NOT
JAVASCRIPT [and other BS] DEPENDENT.
By insisting upon HTML access only via your *existing* pages, you are
effectively cutting off a large segment of potential visitors. That
means people with legacy systems and software will either FIND a way to
do direct downloads from mirror sites, or will stop using Simtel.net in
any way shape or form.
And *that* means that your numbers will drop and that will be followed
by a parallel drop in advertising revenues.
Not only would new *clean* pages be usable by any and all, but think of
all the server space you'd save! What requires a 60K download before
images are even grabbed would take up 6K or less if you got the
webmeister to KISS!!
l.d.
P.S. I'm not the first person to tell someone affiliated with Simtel
Net this ... but maybe you'll catch on to the fact that having a fancy
site which denies access to many people means you have a website with
reduced earnings potential. And maybe *you* can find the person who can
force the changes needed if you hope for any ROI ...
====
On Thu, 5 Jul 2001 08:10:31 -0500, Bill Dickson wrote:
> Hi L.D.,
> Thanks, as always, for your message.
> No, we are not tracking and charging anyone that has a file on Simtel for
> bandwidth use. You are right, that would be silly.
> The change is this simple...
> If you are going to use Simtel as a download resource for your products from
> your (or any other) web site, you now have to point to our web pages and not
> to the files in the archive.
> If you do not want to do that, we now have a service that will provide you
> with a low cost solution for file downloads.
> Feel free to forward whatever information you think you have to whomever you
> want. Feel free to set up a competing site to Simtel as quick as you can.
> Regards,
> Bill
> Bill Dickson
> Senior Manager, Download Technologies
> Digital River, Inc.
> Direct: 952-253-8872
> Fax: 952-252-8982
> [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> http://www.digitalriver.com
> http://www.ebot.com
> http://www.simtel.net
> ftp://ftp.cdrom.com
> -----Original Message-----
> From: L.D. Best [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
> Sent: Tuesday, July 03, 2001 5:36 PM
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: Nasty rumor
> Dear Mr. Dickson,
> Today I was sickened to see exerpts from what was purported to be a
> message prepared by "Simtel Net" and sent to the people who wrote the
> software currently stored on "Simtel" servers.
> That message seemed to imply that henceforth any and all files uploaded
> to Simtel would be tracked, and the software author billed for any and
> all downloads of his/her software.
> Let me point out a few things:
> No one who writes freeware is going to PAY to make it available to the
> public.
> No one who writes shareware is going to PAY to make it available to the
> public.
> No one is going to pay anything to anyone for any public domain software
> that currently resides on "Simtel" servers.
> If this "plan" for using ftp.cdrom.com as broadband [immaterial if
> person connecting isn't broadband] source of "Simtel" software is real,
> I hope you are prepared to lose your entire investment in acquiring the
> Domain and setting it up. Not only that, I hope you are prepared to see
> any and all companies and domains associated with "Simtel Net" or
> "CDROM.com" lose all respect [meaning all business/income] within the
> internet & software development community.
> Someone somewhere in your organization had a "bright idea" that isn't
> going to fly; thank goodness there are enough mirror sites out there
> still that can simply be renamed and turned into another archive
> resource for developers and end users. "Simtel Net" doesn't own the
> software, nor does it own ANY *rights* to the software, so "Simtel Net"
> cannot do a damn thing legally nor practically to stop the creation of a
> replacement for the "Simtel Net" your group has effectively destroyed
> with its latest money grubbing ideas. You can damn well bet that
> Association of Shareware Professionals will NOT want to participate in
> your plan to fleece them in advance of any actual sales.
> I know this guy over at ZDNet who absolutely LOVES to expose idiots,
> fools, and rip-offs. I think I'll forward to him what I received, and
> ask that he consider doing a bit of research and publishing what he
> finds out.
> You better check your "Golden Parachute" ... you may be needing it far
> sooner than you could imagine.
> Most sincerely,
> l.d.
> L.D. Best
> Ohio
> -- Arachne V1.70;rev.3, NON-COMMERCIAL copy, http://arachne.cz/
-- Arachne V1.70;rev.3, NON-COMMERCIAL copy, http://arachne.cz/
