davidl@orca.UUCP (David Levine) (05/30/85)
I'm probably not going to be the only one to notice this, but the magnitude of the offense demands an immediate nova-strength flame. Recently 'newton@reed (Physics Super User)' posted a program to net.sources.mac under the title 'Another Terminal Emulator', without any further comments. Upon xbin-ing the file to create 'VersaTerm.cran', I noticed some peculiar similarities with the pre-release version of Lonnie Abelbeck's VersaTerm. To make a long story short: $ strings VersaTerm.cran.rsrc | cat -t > VersaTerm.cran.strings $ strings VersaTerm.rsrc | cat -t > VersaTerm.strings $ diff VersaTerm.cran.strings VersaTerm.strings 601,604c601,604 < by R.E. Crandall < If you like this send $75 to: < REC Inc 5445 SE 41 Portland OR 97202. < --- > by Lonnie R. Abelbeck > Version 1.00 - November 16, 1984 > For Personal, Non-Commercial use ONLY. > Copyright 1984 Lonnie R. Abelbeck 635,636d634 < 033 < 133 $ This means that the ONLY difference between the strings in the two programs (which strings also included any sequences of four bytes not containing a control character in the code, a considerable fraction of the program) was that 'R.E. Crandall' has removed Lonnie Abelbeck's name and copyright notice from the program and replaced it with his/her own name and a request for money! (And a garishly overpriced amount for shareware, at that!) The degree of rapaciousness, avarice, and just plain stupidity demonstrated by this 'R.E. Crandall' is unprecedented in all my Net experience. This is theft worse than any software piracy I've ever witnessed, and that's a lot of user groups. If you respect the fine work of Lonnie Abelbeck, who was so kind as to distribute his beta-test version of VersaTerm free to the entire net, DO NOT USE 'R.E. Crandall's software. DO NOT SEND any money. REMEMBER THIS NAME, and avoid it! Lonnie, I'd be glad to testify at the trial. Good luck. David D. Levine (...decvax!tektronix!orca!davidl) [UUCP] (orca!davidl.tektronix@csnet-relay.csnet) [ARPA]
maclab@reed.UUCP (Mac Development Lab) (05/30/85)
Recently, a copy of Lonnie Abelbeck's VersaTerm was posted to net.sources.mac,
under the login 'newton@reed (Physics Super User)'. Within the source
reference was made to R.E. Crandall, along with the suggestion that satisfied
users send money to him: THIS POSTING WAS DONE WITHOUT R.E. CRANDALL'S
KNOWLEDGE.
Richard E. Crandall is Reed College's Computing Master Plan Director and
Chairman of the Physics department. I, and many others, will vouch for
the fact that he DID NOT have anything to do with such a gross misuse of
this network. R.Crandall does not even read Usenet news, let alone post
sources which are copyrighted by someone else. David Levine, who replied
with a mega-flame to the posting of VersaTerm, is vehement about the disgusting
nature of such a posting: my coworkers and I agree with his assessment.
This posting was a grotesque joke, perpetrated by someone with unauthorized
access to Crandall's account, and who has no sense of decency or respect
for another Reed Community member. This action is a Reed Honor Code
violation, and when the guilty party is discovered, he/she will be
subject to a Judicial Board inquiry, which I sincerely hope will result in
his/her expulsion from Reed.
I think I can speak for the entire Reed Community, in saying that
we regret that this unfortunate event has occurred. We are outraged,
as David Levine is, and we hope that the rest of the community
will not be judged by the action of one sick individual. Our apologies
to Lonnie Abelbeck, David Levine, and anyone else who was hurt
or outraged by the VersaTerm posting.
Scott Gillespie
Software Development Manager
Reed College
{...decvax,ihnp4,ucbvax..}!tektronix!reed!maclab
freeman@spar.UUCP (Jay Freeman) (05/31/85)
[] Since the alleged distribution of stolen property involved (interstate) telephone lines, would it be appropriate for the aggrieved party to contact telephone company officials, or maybe the FBI? -- -- Jay Reynolds Freeman (Schlumberger Palo Alto Research)
davidl@orca.UUCP (David Levine) (06/01/85)
If, as Scott Gillespie says, the posting of the VersaTerm ripoff was made
without Mr. Crandall's knowledge, I apologize for naming him in my flame. I
do not apologize for the flame itself, because the act is reprehensible. The
forging of someone else's name to it doubles the offense. Please re-direct
the force of my flame at the unknown fiend responsible.
I felt that immediate notification of the net was required due to the
seriousness of the crime. I attempted to contact Mr. Crandall before flaming,
but was unable to reach him by phone. I did contact Lonnie Abelbeck to
verify that the posting was unauthorized, and I thought that was sufficient
confirmation.
Again, my apologies to Mr. Crandall.
David D. Levine (...decvax!tektronix!orca!davidl) [UUCP]
(orca!davidl.tektronix@csnet-relay.csnet) [ARPA]bill@utastro.UUCP (William H. Jefferys) (06/01/85)
Not to mention the fact that the perpetrator of this outrage
is liable for damages for *each* illegal copy made. Now, how
many sites did you say there were on UseNet...?
--
"Men never do evil so cheerfully and so completely as when they do so from
religious conviction." -- Blaise Pascal
Bill Jefferys 8-%
Astronomy Dept, University of Texas, Austin TX 78712 (USnail)
{allegra,ihnp4}!{ut-sally,noao}!utastro!bill (uucp)
bill%utastro.UTEXAS@ut-sally.ARPA (ARPANET)dillon@ucbvax.ARPA (Matt Dillon) (06/03/85)
I kinda doubt that the FBI would bother with it. If bombings (of planned parent centers) aren't important enough for them, I kinda doubt that they would be too concerned with copyright infringement--inter-state or not. But there is/are appropiate gov't agencies for this sort of thing, and I assume that the author has already sent disassembled copies of both his and the pirated program to just this/these office(s), along with the name and city of the schmuck who did it. (if not, I suggest this course of action). Peter --------------- For those who didn't catch it in the header: UUCP: ucbvax!cory!cc-20 ARPA: cc-20%ucbcory@ucbvax.ARPA