RE: [ql-users] Digital Precision Software
Hi Stuart, First of all welcome to the group - I hope you choose to stay. You'll find we're a friendly bunch, eager to help, and the only stupid question is the one you don't ask. Do you intend to use your QL more often now or are you just going to tinker for curiosity value? The DP QL Collection ceased being sold many years ago. There was a recent debate here regarding the status of many of the programs, and one, The Perfection Word processor, is (I think) due to be released as freeware. A namesake, Dilwyn Jones, recently made contact with the Owner of Digital Precision - Freddy Vaccha. Dilwyn - when you spoke to Freddy, did you mention any of the other programs in the collection, with a view to maybe making most or possibly all of them freeware? The DP collection was a wonderful collection of software, and it would be great to get all of these into the Public Domain. Or course, many of the programs have been superseded by something better, but for nostalgia purposes I feel it's important these programs are retained - they were such an important part of QL History. Any feedback? Darren. -Original Message- From: Stuart Jones [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: 16 May 2005 21:30 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [ql-users] Digital Precision Software Dear All, I have been out of the QL scene for many years but for nostalgic reasons would like to acquire the set of Digital Precision software disks (the collection), which I believe were on 10 disks. They were sold around 10 years ago, but at the time I couldn't afford them. If anyone would be willing to sell me a copy at a reasonable price, could the please contact me at: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Thanks, Stuart Jones ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: RE: [ql-users] Digital Precision Software
First of all welcome to the group - I hope you choose to stay. You'll find we're a friendly bunch, eager to help, and the only stupid question is the one you don't ask. Do you intend to use your QL more often now or are you just going to tinker for curiosity value? The DP QL Collection ceased being sold many years ago. There was a recent debate here regarding the status of many of the programs, and one, The Perfection Word processor, is (I think) due to be released as freeware. A namesake, Dilwyn Jones, recently made contact with the Owner of Digital Precision - Freddy Vaccha. Dilwyn - when you spoke to Freddy, did you mention any of the other programs in the collection, with a view to maybe making most or possibly all of them freeware? No, only Perfection word processor was mentioned. He indicated he'd be willing to allow that to be distributed as long as any changes made by the likes of David Gilham were to improve compatibility with emulators and modern QL hardware rather than adding any new commands etc to it, which I think is what David intended to do anyway. Other than that, no positive news. Phoebus did ask me to ask him about Conqueror, but not got a reply on that one yet. Stuart - I could probably get a free WANTED ad into QL Today magazine for you (if publisher Jochen Merz agrees and space permits) to see if anyone wishes to sell their copy of the DP bundle. Let me know if you'd like to try this. Dilwyn Jones ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: RE: [ql-users] Digital Precision Software
Dilwyn Jones wrote: Stuart - I could probably get a free WANTED ad into QL Today magazine for you (if publisher Jochen Merz agrees and space permits) to see if anyone wishes to sell their copy of the DP bundle. Let me know if you'd like to try this. Of course, anyone who did sell or otherwise pass on their DP bundle would be breaching the licence conditions but, 10 years on, I doubt if even Freddy V. would be too concerned :-) John ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
RE: RE: [ql-users] Digital Precision Software
This is one of the many things that bugs the hell out of me. I wish there was a statute of limitations or similar on software, whereby after x years the stuff became free. I'm sure freddy would agree to releasing it as freeware, or certainly for a giveaway price. I mean, what real use is a piece of 10 year old QL Software other than retro/curiosity value? You're hardly gonna run the world with it... There is so much good usable software out there and nobody knows its user status - is it freeware, charityware, commercial, or what? And if we had some certainty on a lot of this, a lot of users may be attracted back or stay with the QL to use them, purely as tinkerers. I can pick up a copy of PC World, Computer Shopper, PC Pro or any other PC Magazine and find a pile of software (often once costing hundreds of pounds) stuck to the front cover for the 4.99 cover price, and much of this is less than 2-3 years of age. You usually find v.3 or whatever on the cover disc with an offer to get the new v.4 inside at a reduced cost - yet here we are debating the status of software that hasn't been sold at all, never mind updated, for over a decade. Why are people so reluctant to give this stuff away? There is no money in it anymore. Just ask any trader :-) END RANT/ Darren. -Original Message- From: John Hall [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: 17 May 2005 15:26 To: QL Users Subject: Re: RE: [ql-users] Digital Precision Software Dilwyn Jones wrote: Stuart - I could probably get a free WANTED ad into QL Today magazine for you (if publisher Jochen Merz agrees and space permits) to see if anyone wishes to sell their copy of the DP bundle. Let me know if you'd like to try this. Of course, anyone who did sell or otherwise pass on their DP bundle would be breaching the licence conditions but, 10 years on, I doubt if even Freddy V. would be too concerned :-) John ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] Digital Precision Software
The DP package was not really worth the money... But I bought to support the QL scene. There are much better software around which is free. In fact most of the QL software that I bought is now free, I wonder if I have wasted money. Derek Darren Branagh wrote: This is one of the many things that bugs the hell out of me. I wish there was a statute of limitations or similar on software, whereby after x years the stuff became free. I'm sure freddy would agree to releasing it as freeware, or certainly for a giveaway price. I mean, what real use is a piece of 10 year old QL Software other than retro/curiosity value? You're hardly gonna run the world with it... There is so much good usable software out there and nobody knows its user status - is it freeware, charityware, commercial, or what? And if we had some certainty on a lot of this, a lot of users may be attracted back or stay with the QL to use them, purely as tinkerers. I can pick up a copy of PC World, Computer Shopper, PC Pro or any other PC Magazine and find a pile of software (often once costing hundreds of pounds) stuck to the front cover for the 4.99 cover price, and much of this is less than 2-3 years of age. You usually find v.3 or whatever on the cover disc with an offer to get the new v.4 inside at a reduced cost - yet here we are debating the status of software that hasn't been sold at all, never mind updated, for over a decade. Why are people so reluctant to give this stuff away? There is no money in it anymore. Just ask any trader :-) END RANT/ Darren. -Original Message- From: John Hall [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: 17 May 2005 15:26 To: QL Users Subject: Re: RE: [ql-users] Digital Precision Software Dilwyn Jones wrote: Stuart - I could probably get a free WANTED ad into QL Today magazine for you (if publisher Jochen Merz agrees and space permits) to see if anyone wishes to sell their copy of the DP bundle. Let me know if you'd like to try this. Of course, anyone who did sell or otherwise pass on their DP bundle would be breaching the licence conditions but, 10 years on, I doubt if even Freddy V. would be too concerned :-) John ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
[ql-users] Software behaving badly
I think it is time that we had a debate about what software we want for the original QL specification OS and its descendants, and what we want for the SMSQ OS successor and even beyond ... There seems to be only 2 licence types of software for the QL - software the costs and software that is free. Shareware, or the like, doesn't really figure very much. Then there are the compatibility issues with older software running on newer hardware or emulators. What do people want to see happen ? -- Malcolm Cadman ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: RE: [ql-users] Digital Precision Software
- Original Message - From: Darren Branagh To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, May 17, 2005 3:43 PM Subject: RE: RE: [ql-users] Digital Precision Software This is one of the many things that bugs the hell out of me. I wish there was a statute of limitations or similar on software, whereby after x years the stuff became free. I'm sure freddy would agree to releasing it as freeware, or certainly for a giveaway price. I mean, what real use is a piece of 10 year old QL Software other than retro/curiosity value? You're hardly gonna run the world with it... There is so much good usable software out there and nobody knows its user status - is it freeware, charityware, commercial, or what? And if we had some certainty on a lot of this, a lot of users may be attracted back or stay with the QL to use them, purely as tinkerers. I can pick up a copy of PC World, Computer Shopper, PC Pro or any other PC Magazine and find a pile of software (often once costing hundreds of pounds) stuck to the front cover for the 4.99 cover price, and much of this is less than 2-3 years of age. You usually find v.3 or whatever on the cover disc with an offer to get the new v.4 inside at a reduced cost - yet here we are debating the status of software that hasn't been sold at all, never mind updated, for over a decade. Why are people so reluctant to give this stuff away? There is no money in it anymore. Just ask any trader :-) END RANT/ Don't forget Freddy V. may have sold the software, but that does not mean he is the copyright holder. I have said this many times before on this list. There are doubts about the copyright position of several of the ancilliary programs that formed part of the total Perfection package. When I enquired many years ago, no one was sure of the exact copyright status of Spellchecker, for example. If my memory serves me correctly when Turbo became PD permission had to be sought not just from Freddy V., but also the various authors, Best Wishes, Geoff ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: RE: [ql-users] Digital Precision Software
On Tue, 17 May 2005 17:17:20 -0400, gwicks [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Don't forget Freddy V. may have sold the software, but that does not mean he is the copyright holder. I have said this many times before on this list. There are doubts about the copyright position of several of the ancilliary programs that formed part of the total Perfection package. When I enquired many years ago, no one was sure of the exact copyright status of Spellchecker, for example. If my memory serves me correctly when Turbo became PD permission had to be sought not just from Freddy V., but also the various authors, It all depends on the agreements. If an author was acting as an agent (legalese of course) of DP then DP *IS* the copyright holder, unless their contract stated otherwise. For example when it comes to Rich's software I do not hold any copyright over the pictures and sounds that I created nor the packaging of the software. Copyright for those was transfered to Rich when I agreed to the compensation scheme :-) Similarily, Microsoft retains copyright of its software regardles of who is writing it (unless of course they steal it like Spyglass' software ;-) ) Ffibys P.S. I am back ;-) ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: RE: [ql-users] Digital Precision Software
On Tue, 17 May 2005 10:43:50 -0400, Darren Branagh [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I can pick up a copy of PC World, Computer Shopper, PC Pro or any other PC Magazine and find a pile of software (often once costing hundreds of pounds) stuck to the front cover for the 4.99 cover price, and much of this is less than 2-3 years of age. You usually find v.3 or whatever on the cover disc with an offer to get the new v.4 inside at a reduced cost - yet here we are debating the status of software that hasn't been sold at all, never mind updated, for over a decade. Why are people so reluctant to give this stuff away? There is no money in it anymore. Just ask any trader :-) One of course would argue that QL Software (and indeed DP software would classify since it never had significant problems) is so good that it doesn't need to be updated ;-) As for the PC world, recapturing investment may not be that important... we are talking about economies of scale here Ffibys ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
