1307 lines
70 KiB
Plaintext
1307 lines
70 KiB
Plaintext
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This article is the result of contributions by people from every
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facet of the Atari community. Many thanks to all the users,
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developers, sysops, and others who provided the investigators with
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information and assistance.
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[Note: Stand-alone quotations are framed on the left and right by
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the "~" character.]
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Small Developers, Big Business
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How Pirate BBSs Impact on the Entire Atari Community
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by D.A. Brumleve, President, IAAD
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Copyright 1993 by D.A. Brumleve
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The Independent Association of Atari Developers represents over
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sixty companies supporting the Atari ST platform with commercial
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software and hardware. Now and then a "pirate" BBS will come to
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our members' attention. We'll capture the file areas and study
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them. We'll cringe at the download counts and growl at the
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messages about our products. We'll download copies of our
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products and trace the original owner. Sometimes we'll even file
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a police report, but the pirate board stays up and callers keep
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calling, downloading, and uploading our programs. And every time
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we leave this experience further demoralized, less enthusiastic
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about writing for the ST, less enthusiastic about programming in
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_general_.
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Recently, the IAAD undertook a more comprehensive investigation
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of pirate BBSs in North America. We solicited information from
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the public -- and the Atari community responded. In spite of
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some previous experience with pirate boards, I was not at all
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prepared for the amount of pirate activity we found.
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On each pirate BBS, we found numbers for other BBSs, many of
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which also proved to have copyrighted files. We found
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concentrated pockets of heavy pirate activity in the Southwest,
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the East, and the Southeast, but we also found isolated pirate
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boards in just about every region of the continent. We found
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small boards with few users and fewer files; we found big boards
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with hundreds of users offering nearly every commercial program
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on the market of current interest. We found young teens actively
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involved in criminal activity -- and older, more experienced men
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showing them the ropes. On every user list, I encountered folks
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I know: the doting father who bought Super Kidgrid for his
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daughter at a show, the user group officer who contacted me for
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IAAD brochures, and many, many others who chat with me from time
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to time on the major pay services.
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Because of the scope and scale of this activity, I feel that it's
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important to share our findings with the Atari community at
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large. What follows is the outcome of our investigation.
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1. The Damage
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~ This BBS DOES NOT support the transfer of any pirated ~
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~ software. ~
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-- Rats Nest BBS
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~ Rats Nest always had some of the best stuff around... ~
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--Zaphod Beeblebrox on Fawlty Towers BBS
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When people pirate programs they would otherwise buy, developers
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and dealers (and distributors) lose sales. Dealers respond to
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low sales by closing or supporting another platform. Developers
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respond to low sales by raising their prices or by dropping the
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product; either way, the market is damaged.
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How badly damaged? Let's take a look at just some of the
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commercial applications and utilities which were until recently
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available on the Rats Nest in Loma Alta CA. For the sake of
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brevity, I've limited this particular list to products of IAAD
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members and Atari Corporation; thus this list does not include
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applications and utilities by publishers who are not members of
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the IAAD, public domain files, or shareware programs.
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_
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____ __ / \
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/ \ / \ \ /
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\ | | ___ | \ / \ _____ /\ ___
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| | __ _ __\ /__ /\ | \| |/ \ / /__\ /__
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| / / \/ \/ \ / / | |\ | -- // // \
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| \| | \ |\__ __// / | | \ | ___\\ \\__ __/
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| |\ | | | | | | \ \ | | \ |\_____/ \ \ | |
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| | \ | / | | | \ \ | | \_/ / / | |
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\ / \/\__/\./ \ / / / \ / / / \ /
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/ \ | / \ / / / \ / / / \
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\./ | \./ / / \./ \/ \./
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| . . | . . |
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. | .
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.
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*^* (#1) Applications *^*
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### | Filename.Ext Size Date Brief Description
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5 | Maxif_3A.Lzh 55665 01-03-92 MaxiFile v3.3a
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13 | Hdsentry.Lzh 33922 01-10-92 HD Sentry... HD optimizer, fixer
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18 | Xboot .Lzh 37888 01-18-92 X-Boot, like Desk Manager
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19 | Steno .Lzh 28885 01-18-92 STeno, from Gribnif. Sortof Flakey
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36 | Gramxprt.Lzh 84265 02-05-92 Grammer Expert
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37 | Grnslamc.Lzh 56066 02-05-92 Gran Slam!
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48 | Codeke13.Lzh 98427 02-05-92 CodeKeys v1.3 from Gribnif
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49 | Mltdsh33.Lzh 217352 02-05-92 MultiDesk Deluxe v3.3
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56 | Knife108.Lzh 87757 02-05-92 Knife ST!
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71 | Lookpop .Lzh 109631 02-07-92 Look It! and Pop It! from Codeheads
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72 | Imagecat.Lzh 290048 02-07-92 ImageCat 2.o
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111 | Hpas_A .Lzh 247343 02-22-92 High Speed Pascal, Disk 1 of 2
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112 | Hpas_B .Lzh 269757 02-22-92 High Speed Pascal, Disk 2 of 2
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150 | Tos_206 .Lzh 77116 03-22-92 Tos 2.06 software vertion
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151 | Hyprlink.Lzh 271744 03-28-92 HyperLink
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164 | Chem1_2 .Lzh 217327 04-05-92 Chemistry - Arrakis educational
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165 | Chm2Sts1.Lzh 222763 04-05-92 Chemistry 2 and Stats from Arrakis
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166 | Alg11_12.Lzh 224322 04-06-92 Algebra 1 from Arrakis educational
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167 | Alg12_21.Lzh 247109 04-06-92 Algebra 2 from Arrakis
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168 | Al3_1Tr1.Zip 239499 04-06-92 Algebra 3 Trig 1 from Arrakis
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173 | Neocli .Lzh 66076 04-19-92 NeoDesk Command Line... nice
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178 | Tos1_4 .Zip 123342 04-25-92 To let ya run those stubern 1.4 tos
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soft
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197 | Xboot257.Zip 51420 05-06-92 Newest Version of X-Boot (v2.57)
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221 | Tw13E_A .Lzh 703536 05-17-92 That's Write 1.3 - English - 1/2
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222 | Tw13E_B .Lzh 703536 05-17-92 That's Write 1.3 - English - 2/2
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228 | Gen106_A.Lzh 192808 05-17-92 That's Relative 1.06 1/2 ELITE release
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229 | Gen106_B.Lzh 130361 05-17-92 That's Relative 2/2 ELITE release
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243 | P_Nix15A.Lzh 427252 05-30-92 Phoenix v.1.5 - Disk 1 of 3
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244 | P_Nix15B.Lzh 410836 05-30-92 Phoenix v.1.5 - Disk 2 of 3
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245 | P_Nix15C.Lzh 410836 05-30-92 Phoenix v.1.5 - Disk 3 of 3
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258 | Tracker .Lzh 402564 06-08-92 Rolodex/Client Tracking util
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287 | Mint80A .Lzh 503661 07-20-92 MultiTos v8.0 [1/3]
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288 | Mint80B .Lzh 181797 07-20-92 MultiTos v8.0 [2/3]
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289 | Mint80C .Lzh 263956 07-20-92 MultiTos v8.0 [3/3]
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297 | Scanlitd.Arc 33361 08-01-92 Hand Scanner software
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308 | Codehed4.Lzh 191763 08-08-92 CodeHead Utilities rel.4 (1991)
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317 | Clnup426.Lzh 91942 08-29-92 ICD CleanUP 4.26 Host required
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334 | Edhak236.Lzh 43125 09-12-92 Edhack v2.36 (patched from v2.35)
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335 | Dmd_Edge.Lzh 149439 09-13-92 Diamond Edge 1.0 ELITE release
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352 | Dback250.Lzh 85508 10-03-92 Diamond Back 2.50 latest
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356 | Warp9373.Lzh 338270 10-07-92 Warp 9 3.73 Complete Package
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374 | L_Rad_E1.Lzh 631730 10-18-92 Redacteur 3 1/4 (english) ELITE
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release
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375 | L_Rad_E2.Lzh 485004 10-18-92 Redacteur 3 2/3 (eng) ELITE release
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376 | L_Rad_E3.Lzh 660252 10-18-92 Redacteur 3 3/4 (eng) ELITE release
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377 | L_Rad_E4.Lzh 525994 10-18-92 Redacteur 3 4/4 (eng) ELITE release
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378 | Icdb604C.Lzh 12971 10-18-92 ICD Booter 6.0.4 (crack'd) by Zaphod
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388 | Harleq21.Lzh 360135 11-12-92 Harlequin 2.01 Genesis INC
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release(old)
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392 | Adspeed .Lzh 95744 11-20-92 ICD Adspeed Accelerator Software.
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396 | Harl_206.Lzh 354749 11-26-92 Harlequin vrs. 2.06
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402 | Spectre3.Zip 446203 12-02-92 Spectre 3.0 software
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403 | Xboot300.Lzh 59385 12-04-92 X-Boot v3.00
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408 | Cache_Cr.Lzh 33876 12-13-92 Cache 2.56 ELITE hacked/all features
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410 | Mvg200 .Lzh 488069 12-13-92 Multi Vue Graphica 2.0
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421 | Cardf403.Lzh 186987 01-03-93 Card File 4.03 from Gribnif lates ver
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422 | St_Sutra.Lzh 657385 01-03-93 STSutra ELITE release still beta..
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453 | Uvk5_7 .Lzh 276224 02-01-93 UVK 5.7gb latest vr
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460 | Falcprgs.Lzh 572035 02-03-93 The Programs included with the Falcon.
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470 | Icdpro68.Lzh 528187 02-06-93 ICD Boot PRO 6.0.8!
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474 | Tos206B .Zip 148016 02-07-93 TOS 2.06 as a program!
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480 | Calpro_2.Lzh 332815 02-18-93 Calligrapher Professional [2/5].
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481 | Calpro_3.Lzh 305163 02-18-93 Calligrapher Professional [3/5].
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482 | Calpro_4.Lzh 406075 02-18-93 Calligrapher Professional [4/5].
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483 | Calpro_5.Lzh 328443 02-18-93 Calligrapher Professional [5/5].
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494 | Mint_81 .Lzh 407624 02-22-93 mint81
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502 | Neo303_1.Lzh 354937 03-06-93 NeoDesk 3.03 "MASTER" disk [1/3]
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503 | Neo303_2.Lzh 328564 03-06-93 NeoDesk 3.03 "EXTRAS" disk [2/3]
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504 | Neo303_3.Lzh 24763 03-06-93 NeoDesk 3.03 Util disk [3/3]
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514 | Cali3_2 .Lzh 273959 03-13-93 Calligrapher 3, 2/4
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515 | Cali3_3 .Lzh 309849 03-13-93 Calligrapher 3, 3/4
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516 | Cali3_4 .Lzh 504895 03-13-93 Calligrapher 3, 4/4
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531 | Cali3100.Lzh 290501 03-23-93 Caligrapher 3 Pro 100% disk 1 CO/ICS
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535 | Mt101 .Tos 294518 03-24-93 MultiTOS v.1.01
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542 | Atariwx1.Zip 285943 03-27-93 Atari Works 1/2
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543 | Atariwx2.Zip 701987 03-27-93 Atari Works 2/2
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Fawlty Towers provides an example of typical desktop publishing
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products available on such BBSs:
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//////////////////////// /// ///////////// /// ///
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/// /// /// /// /// /// ///
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/// /// /// /// /// /// ///
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///////// //////////// /// /// ///////
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/// /// /// /// /// ///
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/// /// /// /// /// /// ///
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/// /// /// /// /// /// ///
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/// /// //////////////////////////////////////
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\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ \\\\\\\\\\\\ \\\\\\\\\\\\ \\\\\\\\\\
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\\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\
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\\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\
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\\\ \\\ \\\ \\\\\\\\\ \\\\\\\\\\\\ \\\\\\\\\\
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\\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\
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\\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\
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\\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\
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\\\ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ \\\\\\\\\\
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*^* (#8) ST DTP *^*
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### | Filename.Ext Size Date Brief Description
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1 | Avant .Lzh 171368 02-11-92 ADvant Vector
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8 | Dp_E1 .Lzh 343016 03-17-92 Insane!!! Didot-professional DTP [1/2]
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9 | Dp_E2 .Lzh 414822 03-17-92 The best! Didot-Professional DTP [2/2]
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10 | Siloutte.Lzh 323802 05-11-92 Sillhoutte Vector Graphics/Ray Tracer
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11 | Outline .Lzh 193536 05-13-92 Calamus Outline Art
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16 | Pgs22_1 .Lzh 322001 07-25-92 Pagestream v2.2 [1/4].
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17 | Pgs22_2 .Lzh 379509 07-25-92 Pagestream v2.2 [2/4].
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18 | Pgs22_3 .Lzh 317627 07-25-92 Pagestream v2.2 [3/4].
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19 | Pgs22_4 .Lzh 428038 07-25-92 Pagestream v2.2 [4/4].
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27 | Ara213 .Lzh 329614 08-06-92 Aribesque 2.13
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34 | Sl_Enga .Lzh 370940 12-17-92 Calamus
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35 | Sl_Eng_B.Lzh 237849 12-17-92 Calamus
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36 | Sl_Eng_C.Lzh 318914 12-17-92 Calamus
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37 | Convec20.Lzh 311683 01-05-93 Convector 2.0
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38 | Cranach1.Lzh 282850 01-05-93 Cool
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39 | Cranach2.Lzh 153775 01-05-93 cool
|
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40 | Skyplot1.Lzh 248536 01-05-93 SkyPlot disk 1/2
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41 | Skyplot2.Lzh 205589 01-05-93 SkyPlot disk 2/2
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42 | Skyplot3.Lzh 323450 01-05-93 Skyplot disk 3? or 3?
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43 | Cfned22 .Lzh 17227 01-27-93 Takes Serial #'s off Calamus Fonts
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44 | Slmodul2.Lzh 90489 01-27-93 Some Moduals for Calamus
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45 | Genus .Lzh 80305 02-01-93 Genus v1.78 - Calamus Fonteditor.
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46 | Touchup1.Lzh 362626 02-06-93 Touch Up disk 1/2
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47 | Touchup2.Lzh 230762 02-06-93 Touch up disk 2/2
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48 | Calpro_1.Lzh 328402 02-24-93 Caligrapher Pro [1/5]
|
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49 | Calpro_2.Lzh 332815 02-24-93 Cal Pro [2/5]
|
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50 | Calpro_3.Lzh 305163 02-24-93 Cal Pro [3/5]
|
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51 | Calpro_4.Lzh 406075 02-24-93 Cal Pro [4/5]
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52 | Calpro_5.Lzh 328443 02-24-93 Cal Pro [5/5]
|
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STampede offers Super Nintendo software, so it's not surprising
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to find a good many commercial ST games as well:
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________ ________ ________
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/__ __/\/ _____/\/ _____/\
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_______ ______________ \_/ /\_\/ /\____\/__/\____\/
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/ \/ \ ___/ / / / /_/__ _\__\/ /\
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/ ____/____ ______/\ /_______/\/_______/\/_______/ /
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/ /\___\___/ /\_____\/ \_______\/\_______\/\_______\/
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/ / / / / / _ ___ __ _ ___
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/ /_/_ / / / / //_ /_/ /_// /
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\____ \ / / / /_/__// / / //_/ SYSOP
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\__/ /\ / / /_________ ______________ _____ \ PAK
|
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/ / // / / __ / \/ __ / __/ __ \/ __/\
|
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_____/ / // / / __ / / / / __/ __/ /_/ / __/\/
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/_________/ //____/ /_/ /_/_/_/_/__/\/____/_____/____/\/ CO-SYSOP
|
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\_________\/ \____\/\_\ \_\_\_\_\__\/\____\_____\____\/ SCYTHE
|
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ATARI ST/STE/TT ___ ___ _____ THE THREAT/ICS
|
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CONSOLES SNES/SMD / _ \/ _ \/ ___/\ MR.FLY/ICS
|
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U. S. ROBOTICS 14,400 HST / _ / _ /__ /\/ SLASH/ICS
|
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24 HOURS A DAY /____/____/____/ / BELGARION/ICS
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\____\____\____\/ JPC/ICS
|
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*^* (#1) GAMES! GAMES! GAMES! *^*
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#### Filename.Ext Size Date Brief Description
|
|||
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|
|||
|
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1 Ox_Final.Lzh 4958 1-25-93 Crack of OXYD for ALL Tos +codes
|
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|
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printer
|
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|
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2 Ace_Boot.Zip 2482o5 1-28-93 Space Ace II [1/6].
|
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3 Make1.Prg 771554 1-28-93 Space Ace II [2/6].
|
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4 Make2.Prg 8o174o 1-28-93 Space Ace II [3/6].
|
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5 Make3.Prg 757744 1-28-93 Space Ace II [4/6].
|
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6 Make4.Prg 816522 1-28-93 Space Ace II [5/6].
|
|||
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7 Make5.Prg 773416 1-28-93 Space Ace II [6/6].
|
|||
|
|
17 Grandad.Prg 121942 2-5-93 Grandad... code revealed ClockWork/ICS
|
|||
|
|
19 Plan9_A.Lzh 446365 2-1o-93 Plan 9 From Outer Space [1/4] -=ELITE=-
|
|||
|
|
2o Plan9_B.Lzh 694644 2-1o-93 Plan 9 From Outer Space [2/4] -=ELITE=-
|
|||
|
|
21 Plan9_C.Lzh 559989 2-1o-93 Plan 9 From Outer Space [3/4] -=ELITE=-
|
|||
|
|
22 Plan9_D.Lzh 46o123 2-1o-93 Plan 9 From Outer Space [4/4] -=ELITE=-
|
|||
|
|
23 Bat2A.Lzh 494437 2-11-93 BAT II- Disk 1/5 in English
|
|||
|
|
24 Bat2B.Lzh 513453 2-11-93 BAT II- Disk 2/5
|
|||
|
|
25 Bat2C.Lzh 453112 2-11-93 BAT II- Disk 3/5
|
|||
|
|
26 Bat2D.Lzh 533968 2-11-93 BAT II- Disk 4/5
|
|||
|
|
27 Bat2E.Lzh 479446 2-11-93 BAT II- Disk 5/5
|
|||
|
|
28 Ics_Bat1.Lzh 519321 2-11-93 BAT 2 Disk 1/5 *german* +-=I.C.S=-+
|
|||
|
|
29 Ics_Bat2.Lzh 53322o 2-11-93 BAT 2 Disk 2/5
|
|||
|
|
3o Ics_Bat3.Lzh 46437o 2-11-93 BAT 2 Disk 3/5
|
|||
|
|
31 Ics_Bat4.Lzh 542978 2-11-93 BAT 2 Disk 4/5
|
|||
|
|
32 Ics_Bat5.Lzh 5o5595 2-11-93 BAT 2 Disk 5/5
|
|||
|
|
36 Ics_Sp21.Lzh 487641 2-13-93 Space Crusade II 1/2 cracked by -=ICS=-
|
|||
|
|
37 Ics_Sp22.Lzh 39834o 2-13-93 Space Crusade II 2/2
|
|||
|
|
38 Bat_Ii.Zip 1243o 2-13-93 BAT II Complete docs
|
|||
|
|
41 Ics_Dl3o.Lzh 77o5o8 2-14-93 Dragons Lair III The Curse Of Mordead
|
|||
|
|
42 Ics_Dl31.Lzh 585584 2-14-93 Dragons Lair III 2/8 -=ICS=-
|
|||
|
|
43 Ics_Dl32.Lzh 432o33 2-14-93 Dragons Lair III 3/8 -=ICS=-
|
|||
|
|
44 Ics_Dl33.Lzh 451928 2-14-93 Dragons Lair III 4/8 -=ICS=-
|
|||
|
|
45 Ics_Dl34.Lzh 517527 2-14-93 Dragons Lair III 5/8 -=ICS=-
|
|||
|
|
46 Ics_Dl35.Lzh 5o9381 2-14-93 Dragons Lair III 6/8 -=ICS=-
|
|||
|
|
47 Ics_Dl36.Lzh 6o3781 2-14-93 Dragons Lair III 7/8 -=ICS=-
|
|||
|
|
48 Ics_Dl37.Lzh 612524 2-14-93 Dragons Lair III 8/8 -=ICS=-
|
|||
|
|
51 Galaxian.Lzh 163o72 2-15-93 Galaxian
|
|||
|
|
52 Cyberlzh.Lzh 6276o5 2-16-93 Cyber Assult [ZX/ICS] *READ FULL DESC*
|
|||
|
|
56 Ics_Cybr.Lzh 168957 2-21-93 Cyberdome Hoverjet Simulator -=ICS=-
|
|||
|
|
58 Rebelion.Zip 33119o 2-22-93 Rebellion D'Bug release
|
|||
|
|
64 Ics_Nigl.Lzh 763445 2-28-93 Nigel Manesll cracked by Belgarion/ICS
|
|||
|
|
65 Ics_Gob1.Lzh 537814 3-2-93 Gobliins II *THE REAL ENGLISH VERSION*
|
|||
|
|
66 Ics_Gob2.Lzh 65o934 3-2-93 Gobliins II 2/3 -=ICS=-
|
|||
|
|
67 Ics_Gob3.Lzh 6o82o1 3-2-93 Gobliins II 3/3 -=ICS=-
|
|||
|
|
72 Grav2.Zip 247252 3-7-93 Grav II
|
|||
|
|
74 Kil_Mach.Lzh 283892 3-7-93 Killing Machine
|
|||
|
|
98 Ics_Civo.Lzh 322966 3-19-93 Civilization 1/4 cr. by Belgarion/ICS
|
|||
|
|
99 Ics_Civa.Lzh 328o17 3-19-93 Civilization 2/4 -=ICS=-
|
|||
|
|
1oo Ics_Civb.Lzh 33o664 3-19-93 Civilization 3/4 -=ICS=-
|
|||
|
|
1o1 Ics_Civc.Lzh 3o3685 3-19-93 Civilization 4/4 -=ICS=-
|
|||
|
|
1o2 Civiliz.Zip 51863 3-19-93 Civilization full docs
|
|||
|
|
1o3 Civhints.Zip 15878 3-19-93 Civilization hints and tips
|
|||
|
|
1o4 Frank.Prg 1461oo 3-2o-93 Frankenstein CyniX release
|
|||
|
|
1o5 Crys_A.Lzh 23447o 3-2o-93 CRYSTAL KINGDOM DIZZY Disk 1/2
|
|||
|
|
1o6 Crys_B.Lzh 532o62 3-2o-93 CRYSTAL KINGDOM DIZZY Disk 2/2
|
|||
|
|
114 Sleep1.Lzh 781519 3-27-93 Sleep Walker [1/3] *-CyniX!-*
|
|||
|
|
115 Sleep2.Lzh 774173 3-27-93 Sleep Walker [2/3]
|
|||
|
|
116 Sleep3.Lzh 8o4o2o 3-27-93 Sleep Walker [3/3]
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
I must stress that this is just a small sampling of the kinds of
|
|||
|
|
offerings we found -- and of the boards we investigated. Most
|
|||
|
|
boards (pirate and legitimate) have separate file areas for
|
|||
|
|
different kinds of products (MIDI, DTP, Applications, Utilities,
|
|||
|
|
Games, Docs, Graphic Utilities, etc.). A BBS which offers a
|
|||
|
|
wealth of Utilities, for example, is likely to have a strong
|
|||
|
|
database in other file categories as well. Please note that
|
|||
|
|
these are just partial lists from a single file category on each
|
|||
|
|
of these boards. A truly comprehensive listing would make this
|
|||
|
|
article intolerably huge.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The IAAD's membership total fluctuates, but right now we are
|
|||
|
|
holding steady around the 60-member mark. Products owned or
|
|||
|
|
distributed by nearly every single member were found on one BBS
|
|||
|
|
or another during our investigation; some of our members were
|
|||
|
|
victimized by every pirate board we called.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The self-confessed pirate Troed says this about piracy:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
~ I NEVER buy a program without knowing if it is what I ~
|
|||
|
|
~ want .. the ShareWare principle .. but how do I check ~
|
|||
|
|
~ that with commercial software? By pirating them, using ~
|
|||
|
|
~ them .. if I like them, I want the original + manual .. ~
|
|||
|
|
~ I buy it. ~
|
|||
|
|
-- Troed on the F-Net, ST Report Conference
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
but contradicts himself a paragraph later:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
~ I bought my STe for $800 one year ago, if I were to ~
|
|||
|
|
~ registre/buy [sic] all the soft I use I would have to ~
|
|||
|
|
~ pay something around $10000 .. I can't afford that. ~
|
|||
|
|
--Troed on the F-Net, ST Report Conference
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
On the one hand, Troed insists that he merely tries out his
|
|||
|
|
pirated software prior to purchase -- and buys it if he wants it.
|
|||
|
|
But on the other hand, he _uses_ $10,000 worth of commercial
|
|||
|
|
products and _cannot_ afford to pay for it. I would concede that
|
|||
|
|
it is possible that some software thieves do use their pirated
|
|||
|
|
downloads in the same way that honest people use commercial demos
|
|||
|
|
and shareware...some, but not many.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Developers are well aware of "software collectors". These are
|
|||
|
|
folks who simply must have a copy of everything, whether it meets
|
|||
|
|
their needs or not. The majority of software collectors want the
|
|||
|
|
real thing, manual and all. It's our experience that, because
|
|||
|
|
pirate board users have to pay with an upload (or with money) for
|
|||
|
|
each and every download, few will bother to download programs they
|
|||
|
|
don't really want, need, and plan to use. Because of this, the
|
|||
|
|
majority of downloads from pirate boards must be viewed as lost
|
|||
|
|
potential sales. And those few pirates who are collectors or who
|
|||
|
|
find they don't need a particular file will hang onto it and later
|
|||
|
|
share it with others in order to earn upload credits.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
We found Warp 9 on nearly every pirate board we called. CodeHead
|
|||
|
|
had purchased the QuickST kernal used for Warp 9 from Darek
|
|||
|
|
Mihocka of Branch Always Software, and Charles Johnson worked
|
|||
|
|
very hard to refine and extend it in order to deliver to us the
|
|||
|
|
indespensible utility Warp 9 has become. Like many CodeHead
|
|||
|
|
products, Warp 9 is so easy to use that the manual is not needed
|
|||
|
|
for basic use. Warp 9 sells for $44.95; a purchase like this
|
|||
|
|
wouldn't put many STers in the poorhouse. But how many people
|
|||
|
|
downloading this program from a BBS would go to the trouble of
|
|||
|
|
ordering it after "testing it out"?
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
A good example of the speed at which pirates can destroy the
|
|||
|
|
sales potential of a new release is shown by the upload date on
|
|||
|
|
this entry found on the Rats Nest (the notation "Off" indicates
|
|||
|
|
that this file has been removed, probably when a later version
|
|||
|
|
superceded it):
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
336 | Warp9370.Zip --Off-- 09-13-92 Warp 9 v. 3.70 - Glendale Release
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
CodeHead released this version on Saturday, September 12, 1992 at
|
|||
|
|
the Glendale AtariFaire. By Sunday, before the second day of the
|
|||
|
|
show was even over, it was already in distribution by pirates.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
What about more expensive products? At $795, Calamus SL by DMC
|
|||
|
|
is one of the pricier offerings on the North American market.
|
|||
|
|
It's a high-end DTP package requiring or benefitting from an
|
|||
|
|
additional investment in sophisticated Atari hardware,
|
|||
|
|
accelerator boards, graphics cards, and a large-capacity hard
|
|||
|
|
drive.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
~ It was bad enough to discover Calamus SL on just ~
|
|||
|
|
~ about every single "pirate" board that was ~
|
|||
|
|
~ investigated; it was worse to discover a program ~
|
|||
|
|
~ written specifically to strip out our serialization. ~
|
|||
|
|
~ But the real kicker was to discover our entire 600- ~
|
|||
|
|
~ page manual available for downloading in ASCII. The ~
|
|||
|
|
~ people that run these boards are criminals and deserve ~
|
|||
|
|
~ to be put in jail. Their "customers", those that ~
|
|||
|
|
~ frequent these boards, are, at best, petty thieves. ~
|
|||
|
|
~ What disgusts me the most is how many of these ~
|
|||
|
|
~ "customers" would never consider themselves thieves ~
|
|||
|
|
~ even though they are stealing from me, from my family, ~
|
|||
|
|
~ from my company, and from the Atari community at large. ~
|
|||
|
|
--Nathan Potechin of DMC
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Since the manuals for such extensive programs are truly required
|
|||
|
|
in order to make good use of the product, software thieves will
|
|||
|
|
actually go to the trouble of typing them in or copying them with
|
|||
|
|
OCR software (which is also conveniently available on these
|
|||
|
|
BBSs). Even when a manual is indispensible, the software pirate
|
|||
|
|
may have no need to actually purchase the program in order to
|
|||
|
|
make full use of it.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Expensive products get that way because of development and
|
|||
|
|
production costs. While the raw materials in a typical software
|
|||
|
|
package may cost only a few dollars, it takes much more than
|
|||
|
|
pieces of paper and a disk to make a commercial product. Calamus
|
|||
|
|
SL cost DMC hundreds of thousands of dollars for development
|
|||
|
|
staff alone, _not_ counting expenses related to the writing and
|
|||
|
|
production of the manual, packaging, marketing, duplication,
|
|||
|
|
overhead, etc. A share of this expense must be borne by everyone
|
|||
|
|
who uses the program in order to recoup costs and keep
|
|||
|
|
development going. When people use the program without paying
|
|||
|
|
for it, this simply does not happen.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Many ST development firms are essentially one-man shows; the
|
|||
|
|
programmer is also the accountant, the publisher, the editor, the
|
|||
|
|
secretary. Developers like these are apt to take software theft
|
|||
|
|
very personally and feel the impact very intensely. One
|
|||
|
|
developer's reaction to his product's proliferation on pirate
|
|||
|
|
boards began: "I used to be against captital punishment..."
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
~ ...It hurts, and I don't mean that strictly in a ~
|
|||
|
|
~ financial sense, either. We've tried hard, I mean ~
|
|||
|
|
~ _really_ hard, to provide quality software at a ~
|
|||
|
|
~ reasonable price coupled with a customer support ~
|
|||
|
|
~ policy that is second to none...The pirate mentality ~
|
|||
|
|
~ couldn't care less about us and our ideals of customer ~
|
|||
|
|
~ service. And that hurts. ~
|
|||
|
|
--John Hutchinson of Fair Dinkum
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
~ It's very discouraging to me to see illegal copies of ~
|
|||
|
|
~ Flash II appear on these so-called pirate boards. I ~
|
|||
|
|
~ wonder if the folks that steal our program understand ~
|
|||
|
|
~ the length of time it took to produce it? Flash II ~
|
|||
|
|
~ ver. 2.0 took 3 years to create and spent another year ~
|
|||
|
|
~ in beta test. Version 2.1 took close to another year ~
|
|||
|
|
~ to modify and test. We're practically giving it away ~
|
|||
|
|
~ as it is! ~
|
|||
|
|
--John Trautschold of Missionware
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Word Perfect has been public about having dropped future
|
|||
|
|
development for the ST and about the reason for that decision:
|
|||
|
|
low sales. It can't be a coincidence that Word Perfect for the
|
|||
|
|
ST was on many boards we called.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
I doubt that STers are any less honest than owners of other
|
|||
|
|
computer brands, but ours is a small market, and piracy here can
|
|||
|
|
hurt developers much more than on more popular platforms. If a
|
|||
|
|
platform has 10 million users and 90% of them are pirates, the
|
|||
|
|
software developers still have 1 million potential buyers. On a
|
|||
|
|
platform like the ST, with only a few hundred thousand users at
|
|||
|
|
most by comparison, even if _no_one_ stole software, developers
|
|||
|
|
would still only have a few hundred thousand potential buyers. In
|
|||
|
|
reality, only the most popular products are likely to sell in
|
|||
|
|
quantities greater than 1000 units in North America. In the case
|
|||
|
|
of a coveted and respected multi-platform application like Word
|
|||
|
|
Perfect, if the program had not been pirated so many times over,
|
|||
|
|
the sales figures might well have been sufficient to justify
|
|||
|
|
further development for the benefit of ST owners.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
~ I talked to a couple of shops...and...asked if they ~
|
|||
|
|
~ were interested in carrying any music education stuff. ~
|
|||
|
|
~ They said that they would love to carry some but could ~
|
|||
|
|
~ not sell any education, music, or game software due to ~
|
|||
|
|
~ the fact that if anyone wanted a copy they would pirate ~
|
|||
|
|
~ it...The only thing they have real success at selling ~
|
|||
|
|
~ is applications due to people wanting a printed manual + ~
|
|||
|
|
~ phone support...I didn't make a sale. ~
|
|||
|
|
--Jim Collins of chro_MAGIC
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
There's a small profit margin in selling computer hardware;
|
|||
|
|
dealers depend on income from software sales to sustain their
|
|||
|
|
businesses. In every area where large pirate boards flourish,
|
|||
|
|
Atari dealers have closed their doors in spite of a comparatively
|
|||
|
|
large installed base of users. "It got to the point where I sold
|
|||
|
|
only magazines," one former dealer complained. "They'd buy the
|
|||
|
|
magazines to find out what programs were worth downloading."
|
|||
|
|
Honest users in these areas are likely to grumble about the loss
|
|||
|
|
of the dealers; pirates grumble, too, because their link to new
|
|||
|
|
hardware, service, and magazines has been lost. Every dealer
|
|||
|
|
lost means fewer hardware sales for Atari, fewer software sales
|
|||
|
|
for developers, fewer new members for users groups, fewer
|
|||
|
|
vendors and attendees at fewer shows.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
With the Atari user base in serious decline, it is more important
|
|||
|
|
now than ever that piracy not be tolerated. Make no mistake
|
|||
|
|
about it: pirated software is _not_ free.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
~ Wait-wait-wait... There is nothing positive piracy does ~
|
|||
|
|
~ for a computer company. Nor is it anything BUT negative. ~
|
|||
|
|
~ I look at it like this...We can always blame Atari for ~
|
|||
|
|
~ not advertising, but if there were no Atari pirates, ~
|
|||
|
|
~ more software would have been sold, making the computer ~
|
|||
|
|
~ more viable for software companies, which in turn makes ~
|
|||
|
|
~ the computer more desirable for a user. So, basically ~
|
|||
|
|
~ what I'm saying is, the people who love Atari the most, ~
|
|||
|
|
~ (us) are the same people who have been killing it for ~
|
|||
|
|
~ years. And there was a time when Atari was big ~
|
|||
|
|
~ EVERYWHERE...There was even an Atari dealer here in my ~
|
|||
|
|
~ little town of Lake Wales! That's where I bought my 400! ~
|
|||
|
|
-- Fruit-WARE Man on Excalibur II BBS
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Ultimately, we all pay for piracy one way or another: Atari,
|
|||
|
|
developers, dealers, and users -- even the pirates.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
2. How it Works
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
For the uninitiated, let's define some terms. A "pirate board"
|
|||
|
|
is a Bulletin Board System (BBS) on which copyrighted commercial
|
|||
|
|
files are offered to users for downloading without compensation
|
|||
|
|
for the copyright holder. Some pirate boards are devoted to this
|
|||
|
|
activity almost exclusively, and sysops running these boards
|
|||
|
|
accept only fellow pirates as users. Other pirate BBSs have
|
|||
|
|
pd/shareware files areas in addition to hidden commercial areas;
|
|||
|
|
honest users of such boards may have access only to the
|
|||
|
|
pd/shareware sections and may be completely unaware of the pirate
|
|||
|
|
nature of the board.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Software pirates have a unique lexicon to describe their
|
|||
|
|
activities. Users allowed into the commercial areas have been
|
|||
|
|
granted "elite access". The commercial files are referred to as
|
|||
|
|
"warez"; elite file areas on some BBSs include sections on such
|
|||
|
|
related topics as pornography, defrauding long distance carriers,
|
|||
|
|
and creating one's own Super Nintendo Entertainment System
|
|||
|
|
cartridges by burning the software into EPROMs. Callers who take
|
|||
|
|
without giving back (download without uploading) are called
|
|||
|
|
"leeches", and downloadable files may be referred to as
|
|||
|
|
"leechables". Defrauding the phone company by using illegal
|
|||
|
|
techniques to make long distance calls is a mainstay of the art of
|
|||
|
|
"phreaking". "Cracked" versions of programs have the copy-
|
|||
|
|
protection and/or registration and serial numbers removed. "0
|
|||
|
|
day" is the day a commercial product is officially released. Many
|
|||
|
|
pirates have also adopted a manner of writing which flaunts the
|
|||
|
|
rules of our language, such as swapping lower and upper case,
|
|||
|
|
substituting "z" for "s" and "ph" for "f", etc.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Successful software theft has two basic requirements: a dishonest
|
|||
|
|
person willing to give away a copy of a program he has purchased
|
|||
|
|
-- and another dishonest person willing to accept it. When this
|
|||
|
|
activity takes place on a Bulletin Board System, a given copy can
|
|||
|
|
be distributed rapidly from BBS to BBS, from user to sysop to
|
|||
|
|
user, all over the world. One person's willingness to give away
|
|||
|
|
that first copy can lead to its possession by literally thousands
|
|||
|
|
of others. Pirate boards succeed because there are many people
|
|||
|
|
willing to give or take the copies -- and because the sysop uses
|
|||
|
|
strategies calculated to maintain and escalate their involvement.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The pirate sysop sets up his BBS, invests in a high-speed modem
|
|||
|
|
and phone lines, and advertises his number on other BBSs. When
|
|||
|
|
the calls start coming in, the sysop scrutinizes each would-be
|
|||
|
|
user and decides whether or not to validate the new account and
|
|||
|
|
what level of access to allow.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
~ I've seen credit applications that made more sense. ~
|
|||
|
|
-- Sandy Wilson on GEnie, describing a brief encounter
|
|||
|
|
with the new user questionnaire on a BBS running
|
|||
|
|
RATSoft ST
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
~ Do you believe in the free distribution of software be ~
|
|||
|
|
~ it copyrighted or not? ~
|
|||
|
|
-- Fawlty Towers BBS, from the new user questionnaire
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The sysop has two major responsibilities: to keep the board
|
|||
|
|
running and to ensure security. He requires full disclosure from
|
|||
|
|
his callers. He wants his callers' real names, real addresses,
|
|||
|
|
real phones, but he is not likely to reveal his own name or
|
|||
|
|
location. There is usually an elaborate questionnaire. The
|
|||
|
|
sysop may call the new user's voice number to check its
|
|||
|
|
authenticity. He may do thorough background checks with other
|
|||
|
|
information the caller has provided. He may keep a blacklist of
|
|||
|
|
uncooperative or non-productive callers (leeches) and share it
|
|||
|
|
with other sysops.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
~ NEW USERS: IF YOU DON'T DO A NEW USER UPLOAD YOU WILL NOT ~
|
|||
|
|
~ GET ACCESS. IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT A NEW USER UPLOAD IS ~
|
|||
|
|
~ YOU DON'T BELONG ON THIS BBS. ~
|
|||
|
|
-- PAK on STampede BBS
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The callers themselves supply the warez which keep the board
|
|||
|
|
active. They earn credits for uploading, and apply those credits
|
|||
|
|
toward future downloads. Pressure to upload a file often begins
|
|||
|
|
immediately after a new user's account is validated. It may even
|
|||
|
|
be part of the new user questionnaire prior to validation.
|
|||
|
|
Typically, a New User Upload is required before the new user is
|
|||
|
|
given full access, including the ability to download. Sometimes
|
|||
|
|
the sysop will allow the new user to view the files area on the
|
|||
|
|
BBS in order to entice the caller into uploading a commercial
|
|||
|
|
file. On other boards, the commercial files area will stay
|
|||
|
|
completely hidden from the new user until after he has proved his
|
|||
|
|
worthiness -- and incriminated himself -- by sharing a commercial
|
|||
|
|
program of his own.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Like a kid in a candy store, the caller wants one of everything,
|
|||
|
|
but to get it, he must pay the price. So he looks at his
|
|||
|
|
collection and chooses a program he hopes will meet with the
|
|||
|
|
sysop's approval. Merely uploading the program may not be enough
|
|||
|
|
to gain elite access; the upload may be judged on how new it is,
|
|||
|
|
whether the board already has a copy, or even whether the program
|
|||
|
|
chosen is useful or well-reviewed.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
~ You Understand that you MUST keep a 'reasonable' file ~
|
|||
|
|
~ Upload/ Download ratio And "K-Byte" ratio or your ~
|
|||
|
|
~ Access WILL be Lowered and maybe Deleted!! ~
|
|||
|
|
-- Gold Nugget BBS, from the new user questionnaire
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
~ Donate! King Arthur has a very reasonable donation ~
|
|||
|
|
~ policy that makes it easily affordable to have ~
|
|||
|
|
~ unlimited download credits...It's so much fun on the ~
|
|||
|
|
~ Atari (and soon to be Falcon) scene now that there's ~
|
|||
|
|
~ no excuse for you to miss out! ~
|
|||
|
|
-- Little Flea on Excalibur II BBS
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
~ ...I started caring, and so the users that DID not post, ~
|
|||
|
|
~ called within 30 days, and sent new files, got kicked ~
|
|||
|
|
~ off.. YOU DONT [sic] GET NOTHING FOR FREE!!! ~
|
|||
|
|
--The Conjurer, sysop of Outer Planes BBS, on the F-Net,
|
|||
|
|
Elite Underground Conference
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The sysop uses his warez to entice callers, but he may also
|
|||
|
|
perfunctorily ax callers who violate his rules or confidentiality
|
|||
|
|
requirements. The threat of being cut off from the source keeps
|
|||
|
|
the callers uploading on a regular basis. The BBS software keeps
|
|||
|
|
track of a user's download/upload ratio; ratios that are
|
|||
|
|
unacceptably high on the download side may result in censure by
|
|||
|
|
the sysop or loss of access. If a user has no files of value
|
|||
|
|
to offer the sysop, he may be able to gain privileges by sending
|
|||
|
|
in a "donation". Some sysops forego the euphemisms and announce
|
|||
|
|
flatly that they charge for greater access.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
~ Does anyone have Trump castle? Im [sic] starting to run ~
|
|||
|
|
~ thin on other boards for credits. I would rather save ~
|
|||
|
|
~ them for the 0 days stuff. If you have it could you ~
|
|||
|
|
~ please u/l it. ~
|
|||
|
|
--Shadow Master on London Smog BBS
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
In order to keep his account current, the user may be forced to
|
|||
|
|
call in every few weeks; each call results in a deduction from
|
|||
|
|
the user's credit total, so he's back looking for new files to
|
|||
|
|
upload. If the caller gets those files from another BBS, he'll
|
|||
|
|
get caught up in a never-ending cycle of uploads and downloads in
|
|||
|
|
order to keep his accounts active on all the boards he calls.
|
|||
|
|
Occasionally, he may have to buy a program outright in order to
|
|||
|
|
upload it. The caller is reminded of any deficit in his credit
|
|||
|
|
total every time he calls and may be denied access to certain
|
|||
|
|
areas until the total is in the black.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
~ Well, after being away from the BBS scene for awhile, I ~
|
|||
|
|
~ have finally found an Elite BBS! (Thanks PAK! :). Anyhow, ~
|
|||
|
|
~ please send me BBS #/NUPs for boards that carry elite ~
|
|||
|
|
~ Macintosh or SNES console stuff. ~
|
|||
|
|
-- Nostrildomus on STampede BBS
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Some pirate-only BBSs won't allow any but the most serious of
|
|||
|
|
callers. They may require all users to have 9600-baud modems or
|
|||
|
|
greater. They may limit 2400-baud callers to less desirable
|
|||
|
|
calling hours. Some require would-be callers to announce their
|
|||
|
|
first upload before being allowed access; the sysop then decides
|
|||
|
|
whether or not this caller will be a valuable contributor on that
|
|||
|
|
basis. Some require referrals from other pirate boards. A twist
|
|||
|
|
on this is the New User Password, spread from user to user.
|
|||
|
|
Boards like the Computer Connection will ask for this "NUP" in
|
|||
|
|
the new user questionnaire. If the caller cannot provide it,
|
|||
|
|
access is not granted. Most boards ask at the very least for the
|
|||
|
|
names and numbers of the boards the new user already calls; a new
|
|||
|
|
user who provides incorrect numbers or fictional board names --
|
|||
|
|
or who lists only legitimate BBSs -- may be denied access.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The sysop's users provide his warez, and the sysop is a direct
|
|||
|
|
beneficiary. Like a golden goose, a single program keeps giving
|
|||
|
|
and giving. One user paid for it once, but the sysop can
|
|||
|
|
distribute it to other users in trade for additional warez or
|
|||
|
|
money again and again. The current callers spread the word about
|
|||
|
|
the BBS's offerings to others, thus increasing the number of
|
|||
|
|
users frequenting the board and providing uploads. Some boards
|
|||
|
|
encourage this by offering download credit for user referrals.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
While operating a BBS is the least labor-intensive way to
|
|||
|
|
accumulate warez, it may not be the most efficient way to make
|
|||
|
|
money. After all, there's a whole market of non-modem users out
|
|||
|
|
there just waiting to be tapped. For a tidy fee, sysops may sell
|
|||
|
|
copies of their warez via mail order; through schemes like these,
|
|||
|
|
users can obtain pirated software without the costs of a high-
|
|||
|
|
speed modem and long-distance calls and the pressures of the
|
|||
|
|
upload/download ratio.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
3. Paranoia Strikes Deep
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
All BBS sysops, even the most responsible, put themselves at some
|
|||
|
|
risk of legal complications due to messages, e-mail, and files
|
|||
|
|
posted by users. It takes a special motivation for a sysop to
|
|||
|
|
actually promote and encourage an illegal activity which increases
|
|||
|
|
his risk and liability. For some, money or software may be
|
|||
|
|
sufficient motivation. Others may make up for social inadequacy
|
|||
|
|
in their offline lives by taking a leadership role online. And
|
|||
|
|
many of these seem to enjoy the power they have over their users.
|
|||
|
|
Like schoolyard bullies, they control and police their turf with
|
|||
|
|
heavy-handed threats and zero-tolerance judgments, all with the
|
|||
|
|
protection afforded by their anonymity. On their own BBSs, they
|
|||
|
|
call the shots -- and no caller can challenge them on that.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
~ """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" ~
|
|||
|
|
~ " Happy Hideaway BBS is protected under the " ~
|
|||
|
|
~ " FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS ACT of 1986 " ~
|
|||
|
|
~ """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" ~
|
|||
|
|
~ Duplication, Re-transmission, or Distribution of any ~
|
|||
|
|
~ part(s) of this BBS is forbidden without the expressed ~
|
|||
|
|
~ written permission of the sysops. ~
|
|||
|
|
--Happy Hideaway BBS
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
~ Re-transmission of material from this BBS is strictly ~
|
|||
|
|
~ forbidden without written permission of the Sysop(s)!!! ~
|
|||
|
|
-- The Ghetto! BBS
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Some sysops are very protective of their warez. They want their
|
|||
|
|
boards to be the best, to have the most highly-prized files, to
|
|||
|
|
attract the greatest number of active users. The sysop may claim
|
|||
|
|
that his board is protected by international copyright laws; that
|
|||
|
|
is, he has a copyright on the _collection_ and he has a right to
|
|||
|
|
control the distribution of any part of it. A user may download
|
|||
|
|
from his BBS, but he'd better not find that user uploading the
|
|||
|
|
same program to a competitor. In other words, the sysop contends
|
|||
|
|
that he has exclusive rights to the black-market product!
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
~ "I agree with these conditions, and I am not a ~
|
|||
|
|
~ member/employee of ANY authority like the Police, or ~
|
|||
|
|
~ anything like that, nor am I an employee of ANY type of ~
|
|||
|
|
~ non-public domain software company, Telephone company ~
|
|||
|
|
~ security or some anti-software piracy organization. I ~
|
|||
|
|
~ hereby legally bind myself to this, by answering YES ~
|
|||
|
|
~ in [sic] at the prompt". ~
|
|||
|
|
-- The Ghetto! BBS
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
~ This BBS is a PRIVATE SYSTEM. Only private citizens ~
|
|||
|
|
~ who are not involved in government or law enforcement ~
|
|||
|
|
~ activities are authorized to use it...access to this ~
|
|||
|
|
~ system by ANY law enforcement agency ( Federal, State, ~
|
|||
|
|
~ Local or other), software company, telephone company, ~
|
|||
|
|
~ government agency, or anyone affiliated with the above ~
|
|||
|
|
~ is not allowed. ~
|
|||
|
|
--London Smog BBS
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
~ Are you registering on this BBS with the sole purpose ~
|
|||
|
|
~ of entrapping or aiding in the entrapment of the SysOp? ~
|
|||
|
|
-- DarkWorld BBS
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
~ "I am not part of ANY law enforcement agency or an ~
|
|||
|
|
~ employer/employee of any NON-Public Domain software ~
|
|||
|
|
~ company, or software publisher." ~
|
|||
|
|
~ ******************************************************** ~
|
|||
|
|
~ * By typing YES at the PASSWORD prompt you LEGALLY * ~
|
|||
|
|
~ * BIND yourself to the provisions listed above. * ~
|
|||
|
|
~ ******************************************************** ~
|
|||
|
|
-- Outer Region BBS
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Sysops are well aware of the illegal nature of their activity,
|
|||
|
|
and they may go to great lengths to protect themselves from legal
|
|||
|
|
action. Most boards post disclaimers about the sysop's
|
|||
|
|
responsibility for the activities which take place there. Others
|
|||
|
|
try to compromise the submissability of legal evidence by
|
|||
|
|
requiring investigators to reveal themselves.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
~ You have failed to answer a security validation ~
|
|||
|
|
~ question properly. ~
|
|||
|
|
--Paris BBS
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
In the midst of such paranoia, it's not surprising that most
|
|||
|
|
pirate BBS callers and sysops use pseudonyms. Frequently a user
|
|||
|
|
goes by the same pseudonym on every board he calls so that his
|
|||
|
|
online friends can identify him, send him e-mail, etc. We've
|
|||
|
|
identified many pseudonym-users in spite of their attempts to
|
|||
|
|
hide their identity. Here are a few examples of the thousands of
|
|||
|
|
aliases used by callers on pirate boards. They know who they
|
|||
|
|
are. And you may be surprised to find that _you_ know who they
|
|||
|
|
are, too:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
RAHMAN Clockwork Orange Stsoft
|
|||
|
|
Elof Zaphod Beeblebrox Troed
|
|||
|
|
Hack-Hack KG mr.fly/ics
|
|||
|
|
Looms Hanzon Horizon Sparky
|
|||
|
|
Yellow Lightning PAK slash/ics
|
|||
|
|
The Piper The Parsec The Shamus
|
|||
|
|
Mouse Master Overlord RoadKill
|
|||
|
|
The Missing Link Nightmare Deadhead Ed
|
|||
|
|
Little Flea the threat/ics jpc/ics
|
|||
|
|
belgarion/ics Disease Factory Frosty
|
|||
|
|
Sledge Archiver Spy Guy
|
|||
|
|
Traveler The Dragon Lord Frogger
|
|||
|
|
Shadow Skinhead rhys/ics
|
|||
|
|
Sparky KRS-ONE Ice Pirate
|
|||
|
|
Clueman Arthur Dent DANE
|
|||
|
|
Goat Slayer Norstar Speed Demon
|
|||
|
|
Time Warp Snow Queen Mr.terry
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Who are the people who go by these aliases? Who calls pirate
|
|||
|
|
BBSs and who runs them? A 16-year-old high school junior whose
|
|||
|
|
supply of British games multiplied out of control when he added a
|
|||
|
|
high-speed modem to his system? Yes. A 32-year-old father of
|
|||
|
|
two who in all other ways is the very model of integrity? Yes.
|
|||
|
|
The good old boys who bring crates of software to swap at your
|
|||
|
|
users group meeting? You know it! A 50-year-old con artist who
|
|||
|
|
makes thousands of unreported (i.e., tax-free) dollars every year
|
|||
|
|
by convincing others to give him programs to sell? Absolutely.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Several hundred software thieves are so active and on so many
|
|||
|
|
BBSs that it's hard to imagine that they have time for anything
|
|||
|
|
else. The thousands of more casual pirates may have access to
|
|||
|
|
only a few boards and call only a few times a month. And whether
|
|||
|
|
a specific pirate BBS has 50 regular users or 500, its phone
|
|||
|
|
lines are constantly busy.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
4. Organized Crime
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
As with other criminal activity, the big players in software
|
|||
|
|
theft have formed alliances to share files, blacklists, message
|
|||
|
|
networks, and other information. There are dozens of these
|
|||
|
|
organizations, some international in scope. For example, The
|
|||
|
|
Elite, with world headquarters in the Netherlands, is
|
|||
|
|
headquartered here by the Outer Region BBS in Colorado and
|
|||
|
|
Dragon's Pub in Quebec. The Syndicate (TSC) has representative
|
|||
|
|
BBSs on three continents and in both hemispheres; the Happy
|
|||
|
|
Hideaway in Florida serves as its Eastern US headquarters and
|
|||
|
|
Outer Region as its Western base, while the Shire BBS in Chile
|
|||
|
|
and the Eagles Nest and Slime City BBSs in Sweden provide an
|
|||
|
|
international link.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Cracking organizations are devoted expressly to undermining copy-
|
|||
|
|
protection and registration strategies used in commercial
|
|||
|
|
programs. Outer Planes in Ohio is the world headquarters for the
|
|||
|
|
cracking ring known as CyniX. STampede, in Plant City Florida,
|
|||
|
|
is the International Cracking Society's (ICS) US headquarters and
|
|||
|
|
features its cracked warez, but these rapidly spread to other
|
|||
|
|
BBSs across the country and so can be found on many other boards
|
|||
|
|
as well. Cracking rings are often multi-platform in scope;
|
|||
|
|
individual crackers will work on getting around the copy-
|
|||
|
|
protection on the platform of their choice. They'll share
|
|||
|
|
cracking tips with and seek advice from ring members working on
|
|||
|
|
other platforms. The Pompey Pirates cracking ring, headquartered
|
|||
|
|
on the Paris BBS in New York City, reportedly has just one
|
|||
|
|
cracker, who goes by the name of Alien, working routinely on the
|
|||
|
|
ST, while cracking rings like ICS include many ST enthusiasts.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
ICS, MCA, Section 1, CyniX, and other crackers are very well-
|
|||
|
|
connected, using ultra-high-speed modems and multi-frequency
|
|||
|
|
dialers to call all over the world without long distance fees.
|
|||
|
|
It's not unusual to find a cracker from one ring visiting the
|
|||
|
|
headquarters of another and sharing warez. Cracking rings
|
|||
|
|
compete vigorously for the first crack of "0 day warez" (brand
|
|||
|
|
new releases), for the most successful crack, for the toughest,
|
|||
|
|
etc.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Pirate boards have aligned themselves with legitimate networks as
|
|||
|
|
well. Many of the BBSs on which we discovered commercial files
|
|||
|
|
areas are linked to the F-Net -- and, of course, so are plenty of
|
|||
|
|
responsible BBSs. For example, according to a CrossNet Conference
|
|||
|
|
Node Listing, The Time Warp BBS (F-Net node 99) serves as the lead
|
|||
|
|
node for the "Elite Underground" F-Net conference, which also
|
|||
|
|
includes Starlight BBS (node 287), Darkworld BBS (node 305), Outer
|
|||
|
|
Region BBS (node 469), Steal Your Face (node 489), Outer Planes
|
|||
|
|
(node 558), Gold Nugget BBS (node 622), London Smog BBS (node
|
|||
|
|
632), Million Dollar Saloon (node 639), Speedy's Raceway (node
|
|||
|
|
689) and H.B. Smog (node 712). According to another CrossNet
|
|||
|
|
Conference Node Listing, The Gold Nugget serves as the lead node
|
|||
|
|
for The "Pompey Pirates Elite" (not directly associated with the
|
|||
|
|
Pompey Pirates cracking ring mentioned above) F-Net conference;
|
|||
|
|
The Prairie Chip II BBS (node 45), The Blackhole (node 612), The
|
|||
|
|
Temple of Doom (node 595), and Spider-man's Web (node 711) are
|
|||
|
|
among the 9 BBSs involved in this conference. The "Upper Echelon"
|
|||
|
|
F-Net conference ties US and Canadian boards by serving callers on
|
|||
|
|
the Gold Nugget in Ohio, Steal Your Face in New Jersey, Space
|
|||
|
|
Station BBS (node 248) and London Smog in California, Million
|
|||
|
|
Dollar Saloon in Texas, Paybax BBS (node 307) in Delaware, and
|
|||
|
|
Aardvarks from Mars (node 38) and Dragon's Lair (node 87) in
|
|||
|
|
Ontario.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Conferences of this kind allow pirates from great distances to
|
|||
|
|
"get to know" each other, to exchange files as well as messages,
|
|||
|
|
to solicit calls to their favorite BBSs. Participation in these
|
|||
|
|
conferences establishes an online identity; a pirate recognized
|
|||
|
|
from his posts on one node of a conference is likely to be
|
|||
|
|
accepted without question when logging on as a new user on
|
|||
|
|
another node in the same conference.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
There are also smaller F-Net-related conferences for pirating
|
|||
|
|
discussions. For example, according to a CrossNet Conference
|
|||
|
|
Node Listing, a Local Area Private Elite Conference with a lead
|
|||
|
|
node at the Outer Region links with three other BBSs in Colorado,
|
|||
|
|
including RingWorld (node 643), The Grave Diggers Tomb (node
|
|||
|
|
186), and BILINE BBS (node 423). Outer Planes is the lead node
|
|||
|
|
for the 4-node "Console" conference, a message thread devoted to
|
|||
|
|
topics related to pirating SNES and other game console warez.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
5. Ill-Begotten Goods, Fawlty Filez...
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Pirating hurts the entire ST community by discouraging third-
|
|||
|
|
party development, closing down dealerships, and raising software
|
|||
|
|
prices. But is it a "good deal", at least in the short run, for
|
|||
|
|
the pirates themselves? Let's ask 'em:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
~ Mock me not! Civilisation is great.. Except it is ~
|
|||
|
|
~ cracked poorly...Can't win with the Cynix crack... ~
|
|||
|
|
--Mark Anthony on Outer Planes BBS
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
~ ...ok, then how do you save????? I love this game, but ~
|
|||
|
|
~ I dont know how to save it.. ahhh ~
|
|||
|
|
--The Conjurer on Outer Planes BBS
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
~ Bad news... using UVK, just found out that the disk has ~
|
|||
|
|
~ a VIRUS on it called the 'DIRECTORY WASTER'. After ~
|
|||
|
|
~ twenty copies of it are made, it wipes out your disk. ~
|
|||
|
|
~ Use UVK to kill the virus, and be careful with swapping ~
|
|||
|
|
~ disks around this one. ~
|
|||
|
|
--Sparky on Outer Planes BBS
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
~ Has anyone set up Speedo GDOS , I seam [sic] to run ~
|
|||
|
|
~ into probles .. [sic] ~
|
|||
|
|
--The Mixer on Time Warp BBS
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
~ Can someone please send me a working ASCII import ~
|
|||
|
|
~ module for pagestream. I cant seem to get TEXT files ~
|
|||
|
|
~ to import correctly. Either the text doesnt [sic] ~
|
|||
|
|
~ fill the full width of the screen or I get no ~
|
|||
|
|
~ paragraphs(ALL run together) ~
|
|||
|
|
--Red Dragon on Time Warp BBS
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
~ Has anyone got it to work? I tried to get it to run on ~
|
|||
|
|
~ a Floppy based 520ST (1meg) and on my TT030 and on both ~
|
|||
|
|
~ I got 4 bombs! ~
|
|||
|
|
--The Parsec on Rats Nest BBS
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
~ Has anyone gotten this to load? My install disk just ~
|
|||
|
|
~ freezes. Any ideas? ~
|
|||
|
|
--Bullshot Xxx on the F-Net, Upper Echelon Conference
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
~ ...my UTIL_2.PRG doesn't work, it was corrupt in the ~
|
|||
|
|
~ original download... ~
|
|||
|
|
--Jason Elite on the F-Net, Upper Echelon Conference
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
~ For some reason I can't get other vers. of TOS to boot ~
|
|||
|
|
~ from the HD without sticking a disk in with the HD boot ~
|
|||
|
|
~ in the Auto folder. ANYONE know how I can get TOS 1.4 ~
|
|||
|
|
~ and 1.0 to off the HD and recognize the hard drive ~
|
|||
|
|
~ without sticking a disk in?...It's just a hastle [sic] ~
|
|||
|
|
~ to use the Hard Drive when you have to boot from disk ~
|
|||
|
|
~ first... ~
|
|||
|
|
--Ice Pirate on Rats Nest BBS
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
~ I have the two lharc's of Epic, and after lharc, they ~
|
|||
|
|
~ come out to 900+K MSA files... Well, MSA won't format ~
|
|||
|
|
~ a disk large enough to put them on.. What kind of ~
|
|||
|
|
~ formatting program can I use to format my disks that ~
|
|||
|
|
~ large.. Or can I? ~
|
|||
|
|
--Cronos on Fawlty Towers BBS
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
~ I was wondering if anyone else has been messing with ~
|
|||
|
|
~ the latest Cubase 3 crack. I've had some success and ~
|
|||
|
|
~ have even used the SMPTE options via my C-Lab ~
|
|||
|
|
~ Unitor-N box, but when I try to use the "edit" functions ~
|
|||
|
|
~ more than a few times (sometimes even the first try), ~
|
|||
|
|
~ I get an "Internal Error" message and the program locks. ~
|
|||
|
|
--MIDIMUCK on Fawlty Towers BBS
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
~ I wouldn't use it if your [sic] working on a paying gig, ~
|
|||
|
|
~ Just cause It's unreliable, especially when in SMPTE lock. ~
|
|||
|
|
~ I've had this same problem recently, I ended up x-fering ~
|
|||
|
|
~ the stuff over to another sequencer. ~
|
|||
|
|
--KG on Fawlty Towers BBS, replying to MIDIMUCK about the
|
|||
|
|
cracked version of Cubase 3
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
~ Yes, there are 2 different cracks of version 3.x, none ~
|
|||
|
|
~ of them working properly. The best Cubase crack I know ~
|
|||
|
|
~ is version 2. I heard though that it gives problems ~
|
|||
|
|
~ when you use Midiex... ~
|
|||
|
|
--X-tian on Fawlty Towers BBS
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
~ yeah, I would [sic] do any real work on it. I lost 2 ~
|
|||
|
|
~ songs with it. ~
|
|||
|
|
--KG on STampede BBS, replying to a message about a
|
|||
|
|
cracked version of Cubase
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
~ Has anybody had a problem with the Cynix crack of ~
|
|||
|
|
~ Frankenstein? I haven't been able to get it to work on ~
|
|||
|
|
~ either of my computers. It bombs badly. ~
|
|||
|
|
--PAK on STampede BBS
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
~ I've been having problems with some files I D/Led ~
|
|||
|
|
~ (Ultima 6 is flaky and Lost Vikings doesn't work at ~
|
|||
|
|
~ all). ~
|
|||
|
|
--Nostrildomus on STampede BBS
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
~ I sure wouldn't even attempt any 'serious' work project ~
|
|||
|
|
~ with that 'crack'... ~
|
|||
|
|
--Sparky on STampede BBS
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
~ Do you have a version of NEW ZEALAND STORY which works ~
|
|||
|
|
~ past the first city? ~
|
|||
|
|
--The Shamus on STampede BBS
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
~ HEY!! Will someone PLEASE UPLOAD a FULLY working version ~
|
|||
|
|
~ for KOBOLD 2 I've had so many different version from ~
|
|||
|
|
~ different people and they are ALL bad !!! ~
|
|||
|
|
--Sidewinder on Outer Region BBS
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
~ I have an elite copy of Calligrapher and it doesn't ~
|
|||
|
|
~ support ASCII text files, so you can only work with ~
|
|||
|
|
~ .CAL files (files made by Calligrapher) Also it doesn't ~
|
|||
|
|
~ have keyboard equivalents (a pain) ~
|
|||
|
|
--Frogger on the F-Net, Elite Underground Conference
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Pirates aren't entitled to support from commercial developers and
|
|||
|
|
are often working without any documentation, so they are very
|
|||
|
|
likely to encounter problems with their warez.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The real version of Calligrapher, for example, has several import
|
|||
|
|
and export options, including ASCII. It has configurable keyboard
|
|||
|
|
commands. Frogger's version might have been hacked in a way which
|
|||
|
|
destroyed these capabilities, or he simply might not know how to
|
|||
|
|
take advantage of them because he has no documentation or support.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
When pirates spread disinformation about the warez they use,
|
|||
|
|
people may think they are speaking out of knowledge of the actual
|
|||
|
|
commercial release. In this way, a pirate's ill-informed comments
|
|||
|
|
about products can discourage sales to others.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The software they use -- like the sysops and other pirates with
|
|||
|
|
whom they associate -- cannot be trusted. Cracked software is
|
|||
|
|
prone to be flakey. And the same type of people who think it's
|
|||
|
|
acceptable to crack and steal software are also the type who write
|
|||
|
|
viruses and unleash them on others, so even files which haven't
|
|||
|
|
been cracked must be viewed with suspicion.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
In addition to the fear of loss of access, the pressure to upload
|
|||
|
|
or pay, lack of official and informed support, an online
|
|||
|
|
environment of suspicion and paranoia, and abandonment of ethical
|
|||
|
|
principles, pirates must also contend with software that is
|
|||
|
|
unreliable and potentially dangerous. The pirate pays a heavy
|
|||
|
|
price. Pirated software is _not_ free -- for anybody.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
6. Phreaking, Copyright Infringement, Pornography, and the Law
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The users pay the sysop of a pirate board, either by sending a
|
|||
|
|
check for greater access or by offering up files they've
|
|||
|
|
purchased in exchange (or both). Heavy users must invest in
|
|||
|
|
expensive hardware, such as high-speed modems. And for many
|
|||
|
|
callers, there's a long-distance charge.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
~ If any of the USA callers has MCI you can put this bbs ~
|
|||
|
|
~ on you [sic] Friends and Family list and save yourself ~
|
|||
|
|
~ about 3 cents a minute. Just say that the phone number ~
|
|||
|
|
~ is for a data line and they usually don't ask anymore ~
|
|||
|
|
~ questions. ~
|
|||
|
|
-- PAK on STampede BBS
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
~ ...there are high speed users around, and considering ~
|
|||
|
|
~ other really good Atari boards are out of state, $.25 ~
|
|||
|
|
~ per call is as cheap as anyone could ask for. I'm ~
|
|||
|
|
~ starting to think "elite" is dead in the Tampa area, ~
|
|||
|
|
~ as far as Atari is conserned [sic]. ~
|
|||
|
|
--PAK on Master Lazarus BBS, explaining the poor
|
|||
|
|
attendance rates by local pirates on local BBSs
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
~ Wanted... original suppliers ~
|
|||
|
|
~ graphic artists ~
|
|||
|
|
~ another support bbs ~
|
|||
|
|
~ calling card suppliers ~
|
|||
|
|
--Quattro of the CyniX cracking ring on the F-Net,
|
|||
|
|
Elite Underground Conference
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
~ When I hit a special key, my Bluebox plays a little ~
|
|||
|
|
~ melody..... ~
|
|||
|
|
-- STampede BBS
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
~ I call the whole world for the same price. ~
|
|||
|
|
-- Troed on Rats Nest BBS
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Not all those living far from a BBS pay long distance charges,
|
|||
|
|
however. Some boards share calling card numbers (belonging to
|
|||
|
|
innocent victims, presumably) so that the phone company will
|
|||
|
|
charge the users' calls to someone else. Sometimes users as far
|
|||
|
|
away as Chile or Sweden manage to make calls at no cost by
|
|||
|
|
fooling and defrauding their long distance carriers. In the old
|
|||
|
|
days (defined here as the 70's), this was achieved by building a
|
|||
|
|
"bluebox" and installing it in one's phone line. Today, it's
|
|||
|
|
easily done in software. The caller's ST simulates the tones
|
|||
|
|
recognized by the telephone system. Calls are routed all over
|
|||
|
|
the world and back, typically through South America, in order to
|
|||
|
|
confuse the system and avoid detection. This activity is just as
|
|||
|
|
illegal as copyright infringement, and it's also better
|
|||
|
|
understood as a crime by police. Many times a pirate board is
|
|||
|
|
closed down not because of the illegal transfer of software, but
|
|||
|
|
rather because information on blueboxes was available for
|
|||
|
|
download.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
~ Word is around town that there are feds looking for ~
|
|||
|
|
~ Pirate BBS's. I know weather to belive [sic] it but ~
|
|||
|
|
~ it could be time for another big bust like there was ~
|
|||
|
|
~ four years ago. Supposedly a Big BBS in OHIO just got ~
|
|||
|
|
~ nailed real bad!. Freaky as hell. ~
|
|||
|
|
--Mind Eye on Thieves Guild BBS
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
There are, in fact, many approaches to shutting down pirate
|
|||
|
|
boards. Copyright infringement is one obvious track. The
|
|||
|
|
Software Publishers Association is a watchdog agency which works
|
|||
|
|
with the FBI to shut down large-scale BBS operations. There are
|
|||
|
|
legal departments at major computer, game machine, and software
|
|||
|
|
companies devoting time and effort to this task. There's the IRS
|
|||
|
|
connection for unreported caller "donations". Some boards come
|
|||
|
|
down because of the availability of pornography. There are a
|
|||
|
|
variety of criminal laws related to activities common on pirate
|
|||
|
|
boards, and, especially in cases of copyright infringement, civil
|
|||
|
|
law may offer the most effective route to compensation for the
|
|||
|
|
victims.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
When a board is busted by the authorities, the related equipment
|
|||
|
|
and property is usually seized. Any records of callers, caller
|
|||
|
|
donations, etc., are seized along with that equipment. Callers
|
|||
|
|
could be charged with conspiracy. For this reason, it's not wise
|
|||
|
|
to have one's real name, address, and real phone show up in the
|
|||
|
|
records of a pirate board, even though the sysop adamantly
|
|||
|
|
insists upon it and uses verification checks to enforce it...
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
7. Spotting a Pirate Board
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
~ Many people may not realize that software pirates cause ~
|
|||
|
|
~ prices to be much higher, in part, to make up for ~
|
|||
|
|
~ publisher losses from piracy. In addition, they ruin ~
|
|||
|
|
~ the reputation of the hundreds of legitimate bulletin ~
|
|||
|
|
~ boards that serve an important function for computer ~
|
|||
|
|
~ users. ~
|
|||
|
|
--Ken Wasch, Executive Director of the SPA, as quoted in
|
|||
|
|
STR #915
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
I recently logged on to the Polish Hideout BBS in Southern
|
|||
|
|
Illinois. What a contrast it presented to the pirate boards I've
|
|||
|
|
been investigating! The questionnaire asked only for my name,
|
|||
|
|
contact information, and type of computer. Validation was
|
|||
|
|
immediate and I was granted access to all message bases and file
|
|||
|
|
areas on that very first call! I wasn't under any obligation to
|
|||
|
|
upload before downloading. There was no pressure to compromise
|
|||
|
|
my principals nor temptation to indulge in criminal activity.
|
|||
|
|
The messages from the sysop were friendly and inviting. The
|
|||
|
|
Polish Hideout is _not_ a pirate BBS.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
It can be tough to differentiate a pirate board from a legitimate
|
|||
|
|
one if one has not been granted access to the elite areas.
|
|||
|
|
Sometimes non-elite discussion or file areas can provide hints,
|
|||
|
|
but it's not sure-fire. For example, although many pirate boards
|
|||
|
|
can boast of extensive pornography collections, some BBS sysops
|
|||
|
|
who wouldn't tolerate commercial files will nevertheless offer
|
|||
|
|
pornography; the existence of pornographic files does not in and
|
|||
|
|
of itself indicate a pirate board or clientele. Even the
|
|||
|
|
existence of an isolated commercial file in the downloads is not
|
|||
|
|
evidence of intentional piracy. From time to time, every BBS
|
|||
|
|
receives a commercial upload or two; sometimes the sysop overlooks
|
|||
|
|
the file or doesn't recognize it as commercial and leaves it in
|
|||
|
|
the download area. Such oversights and accidents do not even
|
|||
|
|
remotely correspond to the kinds of activity we have encountered
|
|||
|
|
on BBSs where software theft is encouraged.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
A typical pirate board includes a highly aggressive (and often
|
|||
|
|
hostile and suspicious) new user questionnaire. It is often
|
|||
|
|
necessary to provide referrals of some kind, and the questions
|
|||
|
|
are likely to assume dishonesty on the part of the new user.
|
|||
|
|
Pirates, as a rule, are not nice guys, and the new user is
|
|||
|
|
usually made to feel very uncomfortable. The new user may be
|
|||
|
|
required to "sign" disclaimers. The Other BBS list is likely to
|
|||
|
|
include some other pirate boards. If the users adopt the lexicon
|
|||
|
|
of piracy ("elite", "warez", "philez", etc.), If ThErE aRe LoTs
|
|||
|
|
Of PhRaSeS wRiTtEn LiKe ThIs, if the board associates itself with
|
|||
|
|
a pirate syndicate or network, if it has numerous known pirates
|
|||
|
|
as callers, if there is aggressive insistence on the maintenance
|
|||
|
|
of download/upload ratios, if deadbeats are threatened with loss
|
|||
|
|
of access, if phreaking files are available online, chances are
|
|||
|
|
very good that the caller has stumbled onto a pirate BBS.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
There are legitimate reasons why a BBS sysop might want accurate
|
|||
|
|
contact information from his callers. There are also good
|
|||
|
|
reasons in many cases for offering a few private file and message
|
|||
|
|
areas. Most BBSs, pirate and legitimate, require validation,
|
|||
|
|
usually by phoning the caller's number. Such features are not
|
|||
|
|
unusual, but if combined with heavy-handed warnings and threats,
|
|||
|
|
they tip the user off to the nature of the board. It should be
|
|||
|
|
noted that legitimate pd/shareware BBSs far outnumber the pirate
|
|||
|
|
boards. The confusion between the two is most unfortunate.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
~ I...have callers uploading commercial software and ~
|
|||
|
|
~ giving me a hard time because I don't have an "elite" ~
|
|||
|
|
~ area, even though they see a message when they log on ~
|
|||
|
|
~ as a new caller that this board does not support ~
|
|||
|
|
~ piracy...It's a _risk_ to run a BBS, and not many ways ~
|
|||
|
|
~ to protect the investment. ~
|
|||
|
|
--sysop of a legitimate BBS
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
If a board you call has an occasional commercial file, be sure to
|
|||
|
|
point it out to the sysop for his own protection; a responsible
|
|||
|
|
sysop will avoid commercial offerings. PD/shareware BBSs perform
|
|||
|
|
a much-needed service in supporting our Atari community; the IAAD
|
|||
|
|
applauds and encourages this effort.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
If you suspect -- or _know_ -- that a board you call offers
|
|||
|
|
numerous commercial files, however, please bring it to the
|
|||
|
|
attention of the IAAD (online addresses are available at the end
|
|||
|
|
of this article). Your anonymity is assured. We are already
|
|||
|
|
intimately familiar with dozens of boards, but additional
|
|||
|
|
information is always welcome.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
8. The Moral Toll: As the Twig is Bent...
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
~ Right and wrong now seem the same ~
|
|||
|
|
-- Rats Nest
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
As a parent, I'm concerned about the numbers of young people
|
|||
|
|
logged on to pirate boards. These kids put themselves in a very
|
|||
|
|
vulnerable position. In earning their right to download, young
|
|||
|
|
callers are implicated in the illegal activity. The adults who
|
|||
|
|
run and participate on these boards set an example which could,
|
|||
|
|
by extension, lead to ignoring the laws which govern other areas
|
|||
|
|
of their lives. Do these kids also shoplift, steal from other
|
|||
|
|
kids' lockers, buy termpapers to submit as their own? Children
|
|||
|
|
learn to run and to use pirate boards from adults whose character
|
|||
|
|
is questionable by definition. When a child has such a sysop as
|
|||
|
|
a role model, what does that spell for his future?
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Like the proverbial stranger who offers candy, these criminals
|
|||
|
|
lure teenagers and young adults with promises of free software in
|
|||
|
|
exchange for their services. The service, of course, is to
|
|||
|
|
provide more free software -- which the sysop can then use to lure
|
|||
|
|
more callers and to keep his current clientele calling back. The
|
|||
|
|
first step is to inspire fear; this is achieved right off the bat
|
|||
|
|
with a new user questionnaire threatening denial of access if
|
|||
|
|
caller doesn't provide just the right answers. And the second is
|
|||
|
|
to force the caller to incriminate himself with his initial
|
|||
|
|
upload. Once the kid begins downloading and playing commercial
|
|||
|
|
games he could never afford to buy, the pressure cycle of
|
|||
|
|
upload/download counts begins.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
~ GENESIS COPIER (super magic drive) ~
|
|||
|
|
~ My son is selling his copier for the Genesis for: ~
|
|||
|
|
~ $275.00 That includes the copier, drive and power ~
|
|||
|
|
~ supply. ~
|
|||
|
|
--Little Lulu on the F-Net, Pompey Pirates Elite
|
|||
|
|
Conference
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
While many of the software thieves we've encountered are young,
|
|||
|
|
in their teens and early twenties, others are old enough to be
|
|||
|
|
parents (or even grandparents!). Few pirate boards have an
|
|||
|
|
"educational warez" category in their files areas, so my own
|
|||
|
|
products are rarely found, but parents do download plenty of
|
|||
|
|
games. I wonder about the children who use the programs that
|
|||
|
|
Dad or Mom has stolen. Do they know that the program could be
|
|||
|
|
purchased with a manual? Do they learn about hidden features
|
|||
|
|
from friends who have the real thing and then wonder why their
|
|||
|
|
parents never told them they could do that? If and when these
|
|||
|
|
children do learn that Dad has stolen some software they've
|
|||
|
|
enjoyed, do they respect and trust their father less -- or do
|
|||
|
|
they simply adopt his dishonest character as their own?
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
~ Pirating is dishonest. Honorable people don't do ~
|
|||
|
|
~ dishonest things. If you want to publicly proclaim your ~
|
|||
|
|
~ untrustworthyness [sic], go right ahead. But don't ~
|
|||
|
|
~ expect anyone to ever trust you. Or respect _your_ ~
|
|||
|
|
~ rights. ~
|
|||
|
|
-- Myeck Waters, responding to a pro-piracy post on the
|
|||
|
|
F-Net, ST Report Conference
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
~ BYE! (Click) ~
|
|||
|
|
~ NO CARRIER ~
|
|||
|
|
-- Computer Connection
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
_________________
|
|||
|
|
The author takes no responsibility for errors in spelling,
|
|||
|
|
punctuation, judgment, or logic in quotations; these are
|
|||
|
|
reprinted as written.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Copyright 1993 by D.A. Brumleve
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
This file may be transmitted only in its entirety, with all
|
|||
|
|
portions unedited and intact. The author reserves _all_ rights
|
|||
|
|
regarding distribution and republication, with the exception that
|
|||
|
|
this file may be posted in its entirety and without additions on
|
|||
|
|
BBSs everywhere, especially on pirate boards. If you find it
|
|||
|
|
already posted on your local pirate board, please upload a second
|
|||
|
|
copy, and a third...
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Editors and others wishing to republish this article are advised
|
|||
|
|
to contact the IAAD and the author on the major online services:
|
|||
|
|
GEnie: PERMIT$
|
|||
|
|
CIS: 76004,3655
|
|||
|
|
Delphi:DABRUMLEVE
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The IAAD welcomes tips about pirate activity. Please contact us
|
|||
|
|
at the online addresses listed above.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|