Hi All
Having being away for a week, I was so surprised at the reaction and
comments to Rich's announcement.
I have total respect for what Rich achieved with the preservation project.
And his reasons for giving up on it. However I do feel we have most likely
hit the limit of what can be achieved. Since authors have either:-
Sadly pasted away (I know a few have)
Do not want to engage with the QL community any more, for what even reason,
we have to respect that.
Or simply are not contactable, due to change of address and /or e-mail. They
may not even have e-mail, not unknown.
Having tried to run down a few myself I know the frustration.
Having read all the responses to Rich's original statement the real issue is
the trolls. I have no problem with debate or free speech. But if these
people wish to debate, then they should stand by their statements by
identifying themselves. Also making comments with due respect and manners,
personal insults do not help and are not acceptable, if they really want to
change things. If they do not, then their comments are meaning less have no
value and should be ignored. Trolls are just sad people in my opinion and
need to get a life. What a sad state we have got into with these sorts of
people. These trolls are most likely not even QL users, and have no idea
what a QL is. If I am wrong, then that is very sad for the small group of QL
users that we are. The idea all software should be free is ridiculous the
choice on the matter lays with the software authors nobody else. It is a
shame more authors are not more forth coming but that is the way of life and
it is not up to us or others to criticise. I do understand Rich's choice,
but I do feel the trolls have won on this won. We should all be ashamed,
that society and may be our own small community has got so disrespectfull. I
also fail to understand what Rich's commercial activities has to do with the
philanthropic work he has done to preserve QL software. I have purchased
several items from Rich including several keyboard membranes and replacement
chips, he has at all times been very prompt and professional in his
dealings. I am a big supporter for Rich and RAWP and would be a very sad day
if he gave up completely. We would all be losers without him in the QL
community. At the end of the day it down to the software authors what
happens to their software, either releasing it as freeware, if they see any
commercial value, then they have the choice of selling though RAWP or
marketing it themselves or just say no I retain copyright and that's it. The
debate about rights and wrongs of copyright is a bit pointless, this is not
going to change, and it is personal choice to follow the law or not, but be
aware it only takes one to cause a lot of trouble, and penalties are very
hard. I know of people who have been bankrupted, because they did not know
they had even infringed copyright. Happens a lot in the music industry for
example.
All the best Rich get better soon.
Ian Burkinshaw
- Original Message -
From: "Dilwyn Jones"
To:
Sent: Saturday, July 09, 2016 2:08 PM
Subject: Re: [Ql-Users] Withdrawal of my personalSoftwarePreservation
Project
What the whole thing boils down to is probably:
Do I care if someone is blocking my driveway?
Of course you do - it's directly affecting you.
Do I care if someone is blocking my neighbor's driveway?
Of course you should - they will probably fight and make your life a
misery (or damage your car while fighting)
Do I care if someone is blocking my neighbor's driveway that hasn't been
used by them for 25 years?
Turns out the blocking car was your neighbour's all along who you had not
bothered to speak to for some time, and without you knowing your neighbour
was growing and supplying drugs, the car "blocking" the driveway was there
to hinder police getting in. Oh and they put the registered address for
the car down as yours, so you got into trouble when they were eventually
caught. Result for us all, one less QLer because you chose to disregard
something you wrongly thought was irrelevant..
In all but the first case, I don't - It's none of my business. And in the
last case I'd find it a bit ridiculous if I did.
OK, my writing above is almost completely false, totally ridiculous and
designed only to make you read it to see where it was going and if it was
relevant. So, just because it seems irrelevant, don't dismiss it out of
hand.
(Actually, number 2 happened to a friend of mine some years ago, so not
that irrelevant).
Dilwyn
-
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