66 lines
3.0 KiB
Plaintext
66 lines
3.0 KiB
Plaintext
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Nintendo(R) N E W S R E L E A S E
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT:
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Lynn Hvalsoe\Nintendo of America Inc.
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(206) 861-2096
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James Bikoff\Arter & Hadden
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(202) 775-7100
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NINTENDO JOINS IN SEIZURE AGAINST ILLEGAL BULLETIN BOARD SOFTWARE
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REDMOND, WA -- As part of a continuing and aggressive effort to
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halt counterfeiting of video games and business software, Nintends of
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America Inc. and six major software manufactures filed an action
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against distributors of computer "bulletin board" network system giving
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software access to users.
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Illegal software was seized by authorities from APL, an electronic
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bulletin board computer system (BBS) headquartered in Baltimore, MD.
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"Counterfeiting and illegal use of video games and business
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software has grown immensely over the past few years. We have and will
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continue to prosecute those who've become part of the underground
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counterfeiting network," said Lynn Hvalsoe, Nintendo's General Counsel.
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The legal action outlines that illegal software was accessed
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through opperators who provide personal computers a code to enter the
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system via telephone and modem. Illegal bulletin boards have become a
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popular trend, with an estimated 5,000 systems in the United States.
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Illegal bulletin boards also have been found in Europe and Asia.
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This case represents the first time video game and business
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software companies have joind together to fight software pirating. The
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business software companies, represented in this case through the
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Business Software Associatiom (BSA), includes Aldus, Autodesk, Lotus
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Development, Microsoft. Novel and WordPerfect. All companies,
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including Nintendo, are individual plaintiffs in the legal action.
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The action is part of Nintendo's large anti-counterfeiting
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campain, much of which is aimed at illegal video games being
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manufactured, sold and shipped from Taiwan, Hong Kong, and other
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countries.
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"Counterfeiting is a very serious crime and Nintendo is working
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hard to let violaters know they will be pursued and charges will be
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brought against them," added Hvalsoe. Hvalsoe pointed to success this
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year in the signing of Federal legislation (S893) which elevates
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copyright infringement, such as that engaged in by bulletin board
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operators, to a felony with penalties upto $250,00/and up to five years
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in prison.
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Nintendo of America Inc. is bassed in Redmond, Washington and is a
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wholly owned subsidiary of Nintendo Co. Ltd., the worlds largest
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manufacturer and marketer of video games.
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########
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Nintendo of America Inc.
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4820 150th Avenue N.E.
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Redmond, WA 98052-5111
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Telephone (206) 882-2040 * Telex 152933 * Telecopier (206) 882-3585
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