rch@vaxine.UUCP (Bob Hartman) (09/11/85)
Recently there has been some discussion on the net about the FIDO BBS
system, and whether or not the author expects to be paid for it. Since
I am a FIDO BBS Sysop, I sent the question to Tom Jennings (the author
of Fido, and asked him to send me a message that could be posted to the
net. Here is his response:
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I didnt realize there was a problem, thanks for informing me. Here's
the story; it is not hard and fast, its sloppy and messy and seat of the
pants.
I do NOT expect private normal individual sysops, user groups, etc
etc etc to pay for Fido. Download it, use it, copy it, give it away,
have it for download. However, if you are too lazy to download, then it
takes $100 to talk me into sending you a diskette.
I DO expect for-profit users of Fido to pay. "expect" is used
loosely, and I am definitely not really making a big deal of it. I say
"expect" fully expecting most to ignore it. (ie. GTE, I mean, you figger
they could afford it ...) Look, if Acme Rocket Rollerskate Co. starts a
Fido for their customers, I don't care if they ever send me a dime. Lets
be real. However, if they install a copy in each of their 1200 field
offices, or start a mail service using FidoNet, or bundle it, etc etc,
than I fer sher want a piece of it. Especially when they start demanding
answers, bug fixes, etc, etc. This happens. I say "well, send me $100"
and they shut up and go away. OK, fine with me!
Fido was written for *fun* not *profit*. All the disclaimers ("...
public user ... commercial use by prior ...") were put there for ONE
particular incident, and is probably still a good idea, UNFORTUNATELY.
One BOZO BALOONBRAIN was gonna start a PYRAMID MARKETING SCHEME using
the name "FidoNet", thats a no-no, hence all the rubbish. It was self
defense, after the fact.
I think I'm pretty loose, sloppy, chaotic and very very resonable
about the whole thing (not implying that you or anyone else thinks
otherwise!) its just that SOME people must be warned at every step.
Luckily they are the minority, but the numbers have increased such that
.005% is greater than zero.
So, if IBM wants it, its $100.00. If Joe Nobody wants it, its free.
I see no reason why I can't do things both ways. If someone complains,
then to cover my ass, I'll say "everyone must pay", then just not (ahem)
enforce collection .... I hope it never comes to that. I like it as it
is.
* Via Fido 125/99
* Via Fido 101/27
* Via Fido 101/101
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There you have it, just as he wrote it to me. If you have any questions
about it, you can send US Mail to:
Fido Software
2269 Market St #118
San Franciso, CA 94114
Or you could call his BBS directly, or send a UN*X message to:
{decvax,ihnp4}!encore!vaxine!spark!Sysop
and I will forward it to him.
Bob Hartman
Sysop Fido 101/101
The UN*X Gateway
UUCP: {decvax,ihnp4}!encore!vaxine!rch