From: Storm.Widow@f100.n514.z17.illusion.tpg.org (Storm Widow)
Newsgroups: alt.bbs
Subject: Nintendo news release
Date: 16 Nov 92 20:10:00 GMT

Following is the complete  text of a letter  I received, addressed
personally,
from Arter & Hadden (1801 K Street  NW, Suite 400K, Washington, DC 20006). 
It
appears they are attempting to scare system operators, without
discrimination,
with a mass-mailing campaign.

NEWS RELEASE BY NINTENDO

CONTACT

Lynn Hvalsoe, Nintendo of America Inc.
(206)861-2096

James Bikoff, Arter & Hadden
(202)775-7100

NINTENDO JOINS IN SEIZURE AGAINST ILLEGAL BULLETIN BOARD SOFTWARE

REDMOND,  WA  --  As  part  of a  continuing  and  aggressive  effort  to
halt
counterfeiting of video games and  business software, Nintendo of America
Inc.
and six major software manufacturers filed an action against distributors of
a
computer "bulletin board" network system giving software access to users.

Illegal software  was seized by  authorities from APL,  an electronic
bulletin
board computer system (BBS) headquartered in Baltimore, MD.

"Counterfeiting and illegal use of video games and business software has
grown
immensely over  the past few  years.  We  have and will  continue to
prosecute
those who've become part of the underground counterfeiting network," said
Lynn
Hvalsoe, Nintendo's General Counsel.

The legal action outlines that illegal software was accessed through
operators
who provide personal computer  users a code to  enter the system via
telephone
and  modem.  Illegal  bulletin boards  have  become a  popular trend,  with
an
estimated 5,000  systems in the  United States.  Illegal  bulletin boards
also
have been found in Europe and Asia.

This case represents the first time video game and business software
companies
have  joined  together  to fight  software  pirating.   The  business
software
companies, represented in this case  through the Business Software
Association
(BSA),  includes  Aldus,  Autodesk, Lotus  Development,  Microsoft,  Novel
and
WordPerfect.  All companies, including  Nintendo, are individual plaintiffs
in
the legal action.

The action is  part of Nintendo's large  anti-counterfeiting campaign, much
of
which is  aimed at  illegal video games  being manufactured,  sold and
shipped
from Taiwan, Hong Kong, and other countries.

"Counterfeiting is a  very serious crime  and Nintendo is  working hard to
let
violators know they will be pursued and charges will be brought against
them,"
added Hvalsoe.  Hvalsoe pointed to success this year in the signing of
Federal
legislation (S893) which elevates copyright infringement, such as that
engaged
in  by  bulletin  board  operators,  to  a  felony  with  penalties  of  up
to
$250,00/and up to five years in prison.

Nintendo of America Inc. is based in Redmond, Washington and is a wholly
owned
subsidiary of Nintendo  Co. Ltd., Japan, the  world's largest manufacturer
and
marketer of video games.

Later!
                                   ______ _  _  _       . _  _
                                   === | (_)|=:|'|  |/\|||_)(_)|/\|
                                                  aka J.S. Morisset
FidoNet 1:167/281, MTLNet 17:514/100, InterNet jsm@illusion.tpg.org
Newsgroups: alt.bbs