In a response to Robert Patterson, where David W. Fenton wrote, in part:
We're talking about the interval of a few years after the failure of MakeMusic, when Finale users would need some capability to use their files. During that interval, with a key escrow setup, they'd have a choice to take their time moving away from Finale, but would not be interrupted in their work (and that applies only to people in the position of needing to install on a new computer, thus requiring an authentication key).I would note there is an unacknowledged assumption that the end of MakeMusic! and the end of authentication will necessarily be simultaneous. I know of no reason to believe this would be the case, and indeed, given the favorable treatement of users in other areas--unlimited free tech support, and publishing file formats, to name two specific examples, I am persuaded that it is unlikely, in the event MM! failed, that they would let the end users hang at that point. I am further persuaded that it is far more likely, that in the event of MM!s failure, some other entity whether established by personnel from MakeMusic!, or an outside entity which picks up kep technical people from the current existing company will acquire the copyrights, and continue to support the software. I would be much more concerned about my ability to continue to use Finale, and obtain new authentication codes if MakeMusic! were three guys operating with all contact through the internet, post-office boxes, and wireless phones.
I will note that as a workflow issue, I do most of my work in 2k, a working custom I started using in the Autumn of 2k, when I discovered that the new library I had created in 2k1 was unusable in 2k (Perception problem on my part; I knew there was no backwards compatibility of data files, I just didn't consider a library to be a data file at the time). Thereafter, almost all work I do, (certainly all shapes I design, and all libraries and templates I create, are done initially in 2k, and imported as needed into a later version when I need a feature first available there.
I would also suggest that the question of the continued accessibility of software is merely part of a larger issue relating to copyright, and I would note that as I write that, it occurs to me that there is a copyright issue in an escrow code, too.
ns
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