From: ykim@cs.columbia.edu (Yong Su Kim)
Subject: My adventures with Evan Trent and SpellBinder software
Organization: Columbia University Department of Computer Science
Date: Wed, 14 Oct 1992 23:36:13 GMT


You know, it's funny...

I sent mail to someone who was asking about Spellbinder on
comp.sys.apple2.  The post seemed like this person wasn't really
familiar with the product.  I sent the person mail where I gave a
brief description of the product and my opinions on the product.  

And then, the next thing I know, I get mail from Evan Trent, the
programmer himself.  Maybe the person who posted originally forwarded
my response to Evan Trent.  If that's the case, then why didn't the
person ask Evan Trent himself...

You know, if you want people's opinions on your product, you could
just ask.

Anyway, here's my response to the mail Evan sent me.  Oh and before
everybody starts flaming me, Evan wanted me to post his response.  If
I wasn't going to do it, he threatened me by saying that his friend
would.  So, I decide to post it myself.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

| I am sorry to hear your dissapointment in SpellBinder. Our goal was not to
| make SpellBinder a lightning fast game or to make it the game of the decade,

Yes, SpellBinder is slow.  I pointed that out.  I don't really care
what your goals were.  I was simply commenting on the nature of the
product.  

If it isn't the product of the decade, and it was only written to show
that you could write something in HyperStudio, why should anyone buy
it then?  Why should I say good things about it?  You should write
software to provide others with the joy of using their computers for
something enjoyable or useful.  You shouldn't be writing software to
make a point.   

| it was to prove to people what one can do with HyperStudio. The graphics were
| not stolen. Stolen means that we used them without permission. Lane Roath
| >From Three Sixty gave us the rights to the Dark Castle hallway, and the other
| pictures which we used that were not drawn by artists we hired were Public
| Domain and our package is shareware which makes the entire thing legal. I am

I was referring to the opening title page which has a greyscale scan
of the front cover of the AD&D Dungeon Master's manual.  Also, I do
remember seeing a picture which looked like it was taken from an
Ultima V drawing.  These pictures are not in the public domain, to my
knowledge.

Oh another thing, I hear that a certain artist is still waiting for
his $50...

SpellBinder is shareware, so basically you can get away with anything.
I didn't say that your product was illegal.  Stop jumping to
conclusions.  Don't be so paranoid.  Nobody is trying to sue you.

| not trying to make massive amounts of money from SpellBinder. SpellBinder is
| going to be slow in certain aspects, it is going to use standard dialogs, it
| is going to have primarily hired artists drawing our art. I am sorry if you
| don't realize your false information but if you're going to put something on
| Internet I think you should have your facts straight before letting the rest
| of the network in on it. Please post this as a response to your post as I am
| not on Internet. If you don't post this, my friend will. Thank you for your
| time.                                                                       

I said SpellBinder is slow and that it is limited since it is being
used within HyperStudio.  You seem to say the same thing.  To my
knowledge, it seems that we have the same opinions on SpellBinder.  I
guess I have my facts straight.  I don't understand why you feel that
I don't have my facts straight.

Oh, maybe you were referring to my allegation that SpellBinder
contained art which was stolen.  Well, as I pointed out before, the
title page of the wizard opening the door was taken from the AD&D
manual.  I doubt that you got permission from them to use the picture.
Correct me if I am wrong.  Maybe you have connections at TSR, maybe
you have lunch with Gary Gygax, now and then.  

Another thing...  Evan get your facts straight before you send mail
with little threats.  I was not letting the rest of the network in on
my so called "false" information.  I sent a private mail response to
the person who was asking for people's opinions about SpellBinder.
That means that two people get in on this "false" information.  Me and
the person who received my mail.  That is the basis of private e-mail.

You really are paranoid.  I'm not out on a one man crusade to sabotage
your product.  However, I will humour you by posting your response to
my e-mail which I sent to Virgina A. Reed at Dartmouth, and I will also
post my response.

Now that I've posted it, I hope that your friend won't have to post
your message.  I'm glad that you won't have to carry out your threat.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

More mail from Evan Trent...

| people who buy SpellBinder's demo for $15 are supporting us and are getting
| the $15 rebated from the commercial version. So it is worth it. Plus you get
| a newsletter which includes tips on how to incorperate certain aspects of
| SpellBinder into your own stacks and you get mega discounts on other programs
| I'm writing.                                                                 

So there's going to be a commercial version of SpellBinder...  Funny,
I wonder if Lane Roath is going to let you use the Dark Castle
pictures in the commercial version.  Also, now the whole thing
wouldn't be legal if you used some of these pictures that you
"borrowed" from other sources.

Listen, you're not going to persuade me to buy SpellBinder and you're
not going to persuade me to persuade others to buy SpellBinder.  So
don't waste your time and my time.  Spend the time writing software,
not to make a point, but to provide a useful service to the Apple IIGS
community.  Maybe if you produce a good piece of software, there will
be some financial reward for your time and effort.






-- 
===============================================================================
Yong Su Kim, Class of 1993		|  Internet: yk4@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu
Columbia College, Columbia University   |        or  ykim@cs.columbia.edu