At 06:07 AM 3/9/05 -0500, dhbailey wrote: >So what is your suggestion as to what sort of bargaining power we have >to use against MakeMusic?
The operant really is "we", isn't it? What I hoped was that, as soon as the new scheme appeared, we Finale users en masse would refuse to upgrade. Period. Forget the candy we're offered. Recognize that in the long term, Coda/MM will be gone (or change their mind about re-authorizing old versions in order to force upgrades), and when a new authorization is needed, every single score done after 2K3 will be unavailable in digital form. Then act immediately. Even skip a year's upgrade. Post the reason (as I have) on the "tools" page of your business websites. Refuse to consider tethered alternatives such as Sibelius. Indeed, I was surprised at the tepid response by long-term Finale users to Coda/MM's action. Sure, I've tried to make the point about tethered software so often that people don't hear me anymore. I understand that. Here comes Dennis with his victimware harangue again. And it's also hard to convince Apple users, because they were introduced to locked products even before there were DOS PCs. Further, because we're all working in 'intellectual property', we tread on unfirm ground when simultaneously calling for Coda/MM to unlock their product while holding our own Finale files close to the chest. But it's not as if I'm saying that Coda/MM (or any company) isn't entitled to keep their work from being stolen. That's their obligation to stockholders and *us*, because it keeps them profitable and able to develop the product further. Rather, I am calling for them to escrow (with an independently contracted third party) a fail-safe mechanism that will be activated when the company fails in business, support duties, or authorization. This can be a skeleton key, keygen system, unlock patch, special version, or server plugin that emulates their own authorization, and is provided to all registered users when the fail-safe is triggered. (Coda/MM is well placed to lead the industry because the locking software was, they claim, developed in-house, and thus is not further tethered to a PACE-style corporation.) As usual, Dennis's long answer. The short answer on bargaining power: It's not too late. Skip all further upgrades. Tell them why. The minute they escrow a fail-safe mechanism is the minute I'll place my order. Anyone else? Dennis _______________________________________________ Finale mailing list [email protected] http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
