mwm@raven.pa.dec.com (Mike (Real Amigas have keyboard garages) Meyer) (07/26/90)
Broken laws, that is. I got another chain letter in the mail yesterday evening. I usually just send them to the local postmaster so they can deal with the offender. But this one had a new twist - they were asking to be sent software. They promised people "up to 625 disks with the hottest Amiga software around". There were four names on the list. So at a minimum they're attempting to steal 2500 software titles. At an average price of $40 apiece (meaning that they're going to be getting a lot of games), that's a hundred thousand dollars worth of software. Assuming that it's mostly productivity software so that the average price is $100, that's a quarter of a million dollars worth of software. The letter claims to have started in August of '89. Assuming this is true, and that it takes about a month to send the one disk and five letters, then a 5-way tree 5 levels deep has received those 625 disks, or some 4000 people, meaning as much as a quarter of a billion dollars worth of stolen software. Them bucks sound like a real target for an international criminal ring. Which shouldn't surprise you - that's what they are! The four people wanting to recieve stolen goods were: A.M.Cubero Hjaltabakka 22 109 Reykjavik Iceland T.K.Gunnarsson Hverfisgata 49 101 Reykjavik Iceland F.Eidsson Tungata 27 101 Reykjavik Iceland G.Gestsson P.O. Box 115 551 Saudarkrokur Iceland If you want a copy of the letter, just send email. The FBI already has one, and the postmaster will be getting one soon. <mike -- How many times do you have to fall Mike Meyer While people stand there gawking? mwm@relay.pa.dec.com How many times do you have to fall decwrl!mwm Before you end up walking?
janhen@sci.kun.nl (Jan Hendrikx) (07/31/90)
In article <MWM.90Jul25152250@raven.pa.dec.com> mwm@raven.pa.dec.com (Mike (Real Amigas have keyboard garages) Meyer) writes: [about a chain letter asking for software:] >The four people wanting to recieve stolen goods were: [...] >If you want a copy of the letter, just send email. The FBI already has >one, and the postmaster will be getting one soon. What makes you think those people aren't asking for freely distributable software? Remark that could be construed as insulting, but that is not meant as such: Was _your_ first thought: "I'd like to send them a copy of this great commercial program FooBarPaint"? Then who suggested first that the software would be stolen? This looks like an over-reaction to me.
mwm@raven.pa.dec.com (Mike (Real Amigas have keyboard garages) Meyer) (08/01/90)
In article <2070@wn1.sci.kun.nl> janhen@sci.kun.nl (Jan Hendrikx) writes: In article <MWM.90Jul25152250@raven.pa.dec.com> mwm@raven.pa.dec.com (Mike (Real Amigas have keyboard garages) Meyer) writes: [about a chain letter asking for software:] >The four people wanting to recieve stolen goods were: [...] >If you want a copy of the letter, just send email. The FBI already has >one, and the postmaster will be getting one soon. What makes you think those people aren't asking for freely distributable software? Because they didn't ask for freely distributable software. Either you've seen this letter, or you're defending a document you've never seen. Remark that could be construed as insulting, but that is not meant as such: Was _your_ first thought: "I'd like to send them a copy of this great commercial program FooBarPaint"? Nope. My first thought was that they're trying to steal software. A very carefull rereading of the letter didn't provide anything to dissuade me of that. After that, I thought about sending them a copy of my latest software release; except that it was already out on a Fish disk, and the pyramid scheme itself is illegal in the US. This looks like an over-reaction to me. This looks like a comment from someone who's expecting software through the pyramid. <mike -- It's been a hard day's night, Mike Meyer And I been working like a dog. mwm@relay.pa.dec.com It's been a hard day's night, decwrl!mwm I should be sleeping like a log.
janhen@wn3.sci.kun.nl (Jan Hendrikx) (08/06/90)
In article <MWM.90Jul31121745@raven.pa.dec.com> mwm@raven.pa.dec.com (Mike (Real Amigas have keyboard garages) Meyer) writes: >In article <2070@wn1.sci.kun.nl> janhen@sci.kun.nl (Jan Hendrikx) writes: > What makes you think those people aren't asking for freely distributable > software? > >Because they didn't ask for freely distributable software. Either >you've seen this letter, or you're defending a document you've never >seen. I have never seen the letter, I'll admit that first. All I know about it is from your description of it. And that does not include anything that indicates that they are explicitly ask for illegal software; the most compromising remark seems to be about the 'hottest' software around. But they _could_ (emphasis: could) mean programs like MSH with that. > Remark that could be construed as insulting, but that is not > meant as such: Was _your_ first thought: "I'd like to send them a copy > of this great commercial program FooBarPaint"? > >Nope. My first thought was that they're trying to steal software. A >very carefull rereading of the letter didn't provide anything to >dissuade me of that. After that, I thought about sending them a copy >of my latest software release; except that it was already out on a >Fish disk, So is it correct that all illegal activities are in the eye of the beholder? If you start with the assumption that something harmful is meant, it is not disproved by the letter. But apparently the opposite is also not disproved. (Note again that I have never seen the acual letter) > and the pyramid scheme itself is illegal in the US. That is of course an entirely different matter (unknown to me). Based on this fact, of course it is possible to take action. (But then it might be legal in the countries of the people on the address list.) > This looks like an over-reaction to me. > >This looks like a comment from someone who's expecting software >through the pyramid. Certainly not. I get most of my software from Fred Fish and this very network, since it is the best place to get quality software for the Amiga. IMHO. > <mike -Olaf Seibert