From: randall-joshua@CS.YALE.EDU (Joshua Randall)
Subject: Re: Strike Demo
Organization: Yale University Computer Science Dept., New Haven, CT 06520-2158
Date: Fri, 2 Oct 1992 17:42:39 GMT

In article <1992Oct2.141237.18566@b11.b11.ingr.com> ross@kaos.b11.ingr.com writes:
>>Ross, you are the *master* of biting sarcasm.  Did you take a course in it?
>>Do you think there's one here at college I can take?
>
>I don't know quite how to respond to this.  You obviously know nothing
>about me at all.  The only thing I'm TRYING to master is producing a
>semi-decent gaming magazine.

Well all flaming aside, I think even I would have to admit that you have done
a very good job of that.  GameBytes, quite frankly, kicks ass.

>I'm also trying to master my integrity
>and I believe one way to do so is to help protect the property rights
>of a company that I respect.  I think you should too.

Like other people have said, do you really think a lousy 1 meg demo is going
to seriously damage Origin's "property rights"?

>Look, let's be realistic here.  You know and I know that the Strike
>Commander demo was a blatant theft of Origin property, completely 
>without their permission or knowledge.

Do we know this?  I haven't had a chance to call Origin yet...maybe in about
ten minutes I will and *then* I'll know.  Now before you go saying "But it
was posted here that the demo was pirated" keep in mind that about half the
rumors posted here are just that (how many times have we heard that a game is
due out "next week" only to find out it's not even under production yet?).

>You re-uploaded it, right?  Any reason why?

Yes, because some people still wanted to see it.  And I don't see why they
shouldn't be allowed to.

> Someone had the 'huevos' to ask for help for a pirated
                   ^^^^^^
Wow, you speak Spanish too....  (Others: "huevos" = "eggs" in Spanish, slang
for "balls" as in testicles.)

>piece of property.  It happens all the time here, and that person
>generally gets flamed for ruining the integrity of this group.
                           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Jesus Christ, Ross, get off you high horse.  I'm now "ruining the integrity"
of this group?  Please.  Now you tell me that you have *never* copied soft-
ware illegally, that you have *never* copied pages from a book illegally, that
you have *never* lied about your taxable income.  Everyone cheats sometimes!
Some people are willing to admit they do and some people aren't.

>Why
>don't the pirates go get their own newsgroup started.  alt.pirates or
>alt.theft might be appropriate.  alt.stupidity is already taken.

Hah hah hah.  Actually this isn't a bad idea.  I'd kind of like to learn
some advanced hex-editing techniques myself.  Calls for RFD, anyone?

>It is my goal that eventually we could get the software companies who
>support our passion for computer games to join in the discussion of
>their work here on Internet.  As long as there's any hint that
>pirating is condoned and Internet acts as a 'bulletin board' for
>exchanging pirating information, it will never happen.

Then it will never happen.  Piracy will never be stamped out.  The Internet
by its very etherealness and anonymity lends itself to "shady" activities of
all natures.

>>(Everyone else:  I'd advise you apply your asbestos underwear RIGHT NOW.)
>
>Again, you obviously have no clue about me at all.  Then again, I
>don't think we share the same values, so it shouldn't be surprising
>that you don't, n'est pas? 
                 ^^^^^^^^^
Wow, French too.  Care to fling a few German expressions around as long as
you're at it?

I don't really care about *you*; what we are discussing here is whether one
lousy demo is really "ruining the integrity" of this group, or whether there
even is any integrity to ruin.  I don't know about you, but I read this group
to find out which games are good and which aren't so that if I go out to buy
(yes, *buy*) a game I won't get ripped off.  GameBytes helps in that regard
as well.  So do demos (or promos like "strike.zip"), whether pirated or not.
And I will continue reading this group, reading (viewing?) GameBytes, and
watching demos until I am satisfied that I know whether I want the game or
not.
-- 
Joshua E. Randall			randall-joshua@minerva.cis.yale.edu