hansb@ariel.unm.edu.unm.edu (Hans Bechtel) (02/12/88)
I know of a store in a big city in New Mexico that after they buy the software to sell, they open up the package, copy it, and pass it to a few of their friends, shrink-wrap it again, and put it back on the shelves for sale. I won't mention any names here, but I think it is wrong to do the above. Hans Bechtel
khayo@sonia.cs.ucla.edu (Erazm J. Behr) (02/17/88)
In article <2281@charon.unm.edu> hansb@ariel.unm.edu.UUCP (Hans Bechtel) writes: >I know of a store in a big city in New Mexico that after they buy the >software to sell, they open up the package, copy it, and pass it to >a few of their friends, shrink-wrap it again, and put it back on the >shelves for sale. If you have any evidence other than hearsay, I think you'd do us all a big favor by getting in touch with your local Distr. Atty.'s office. > >I won't mention any names here, but I think it is wrong to do the above. That's a pretty mild characterization... Eric ___________________________________________________________ Please use khayo@MATH.ucla.edu instead of CS.ucla.edu
avalon@UCSCB.UCSC.EDU (Scott A. McIntyre) (02/17/88)
+-In article <2281@charon.unm.edu>, hansb@ariel.unm.edu.UUCP (Hans Bechtel) wrote:- +---------- | | I know of a store in a big city in New Mexico that after they buy the | software to sell, they open up the package, copy it, and pass it to | a few of their friends, shrink-wrap it again, and put it back on the | shelves for sale. | | I won't mention any names here, but I think it is wrong to do the above. | | Hans Bechtel +---------- I agree. I used to work for a company in Southern California whose policy it was that if a customer was in any way not satisfied with the product, the could return it, if they keep the receipt, for a full refund. We would then test it, make sure all of the docs were there, then re shrinkwrap the product and place it back on the shelves. MOST of the time we never had a problem with this. Most customers were able to realize that the policy was set there for those that REALLY did not like product, or felt that they had not gotten their money's worth, and did not abuse it. There were, however, a few people that would buy at one of our stores, and return at a different one. Every return is fully documented, whether or not we give cash or store credit back, and sometimes, if the sales person, or the manager thinks that the return is not quite on the up and up, he or she will phone other area stores and inform them that we have had a return, and they may want to be on the lookout for a series of them by the same person/people. The worst case of this abuse was a customer that purchased the FULL doctor's office manager, and several other IBM brand software packages, at different times, then proceeeded to return them within two days. The first time we said ok, the second we grimaced, and the third we informed that they were no longer allowed to return a product unless it was defective, and we would be happy to test it on our machines before they left the store so that we would know right off if it was defective or not. Overall, this policy, of being able to reshrink has a great number of ad- vantages, but it is too bad that some feel that this is an opportunity to "rip off" software manufacturers, authors, and dealers. Scott DISCLAIMER: The above mentioned opinions are nothing more than just that, opinions. They in no way reflect the feelings of others, unless by choice. -- =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- avalon@ucscb.UCSC.EDU ARPA/Internet \ ...!ucbvax!ucscc!ucsck!avalon UUCP > Me! avalon@ucsck.BITNET Bitnet / "You will get a much better idea of how it works if you just PLAY with it" -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
seitz@cory.Berkeley.EDU (Matthew Eric Seitz) (02/17/88)
In article <2281@charon.unm.edu> hansb@ariel.unm.edu.UUCP (Hans Bechtel) writes: > >I know of a store in a big city in New Mexico that after they buy the >software to sell, they open up the package, copy it, and pass it to >a few of their friends, shrink-wrap it again, and put it back on the >shelves for sale. > >I won't mention any names here, but I think it is wrong to do the above. > >Hans Bechtel The computer store I have worked at also did something similar to this. We would make a copy of software to demonstrate and then reshrink-wrap it. The reason is that customer's keep wanting two otherwise mutually exclusive things: 1) They want to see something demonstrated before they buy it and 2) they want a shrink-wrap fresh copy of software to buy. We couldn't afford to keep an original of every program strictly for demonstration purposes. Since we had a very liberal exchange policy on defective merchandise, we felt that the very slight risk of damaging the original during copying was worth it. We would also test the original after copying to make sure it still worked before shrink-wrapping. However, any of the copies made were strictly for in-store demo, they never left the premises and no copies were distributed. -Matthew Seitz
wnp@dcs.UUCP (Wolf N. Paul) (02/17/88)
In article <2281@charon.unm.edu> hansb@ariel.unm.edu.UUCP (Hans Bechtel) writes: > >I know of a store in a big city in New Mexico that after they buy the >software to sell, they open up the package, copy it, and pass it to >a few of their friends, shrink-wrap it again, and put it back on the >shelves for sale. > >I won't mention any names here, but I think it is wrong to do the above. Please DO mention names! This sort of thing could cause incredible hassles for the eventual purchaser of such a re-shrinkwrapped package. Consider this scenario: A software company finally gets fed up with piracy and decides to go after pirates. They try to collect as many illegal copies of their software as they can, offering "amnesty" to those who had them, and sue the registered owners for each serial number they find in their collection. The customers of the store you are referring to have no idea that there are illegitimate copies of software with their serial numbers floating around out there, and suddenly they have a lawsuit sprung on them! Don't say that won't happen, I have heard of two instances when it has! So DO mention names, so people will know where NOT to buy software. -- Wolf N. Paul Phone: (214) 306-9101 (h) (214) 404-8077 (w) 3387 Sam Rayburn Run UUCP: ihnp4!killer!{dcs, doulos}!wnp Carrollton, TX 75007 INTERNET: wnp@dcs.UUCP ESL: 62832882 Pat Robertson does NOT speak for all evangelical Christians--not for me, anyway!
schein@cbmvax.UUCP (Dan Schein CATS) (02/17/88)
In article <2281@charon.unm.edu> hansb@ariel.unm.edu.UUCP (Hans Bechtel) writes: > >I know of a store in a big city in New Mexico that after they buy the >software to sell, they open up the package, copy it, and pass it to >a few of their friends, shrink-wrap it again, and put it back on the >shelves for sale. > >I won't mention any names here, but I think it is wrong to do the above. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Wrong is a moral issue, the other issue is legal - and this is illegal! > >Hans Bechtel -- Dan Schein uucp: {ihnp4|allegra|burdvax|rutgers}!cbmvax!schein Commodore AMIGA ARPANET: cbmvax!schein@uunet.uu.net 1200 Wilson Drive Bix: dschein Plink: Dan*CATS West Chester PA 19380 phone: (215) 431-9100 ext. 9542 +----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ All spelling mistakes are a result of my efforts to avoid education :-) +----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ I help Commodore by supporting the AMIGA. Commodore supports me by allowing me to form my own suggestions and comments.
sbb@esquire.UUCP (Stephen B. Baumgarten) (02/18/88)
In article <2281@charon.unm.edu> hansb@ariel.unm.edu.UUCP (Hans Bechtel) writes: >I know of a store in a big city in New Mexico that after they buy the >software to sell, they open up the package, copy it, and pass it to >a few of their friends, shrink-wrap it again, and put it back on the >shelves for sale. > >I won't mention any names here, but I think it is wrong to do the above. > >Hans Bechtel Call the police. Normally I'd guess that it's a Computer Factory, but I happen to know for a fact that most Computer Factory salesmen have difficulty with cellophane, since it isn't covered in their training courses... -- Steve Baumgarten | "New York... when civilization falls apart, Davis Polk & Wardwell | remember, we were way ahead of you." ...!cmcl2!esquire!sbb | - David Letterman
richard@gryphon.CTS.COM (Richard Sexton) (03/09/88)
In article <788@pasteur.Berkeley.Edu> seitz@cory.Berkeley.EDU.UUCP (Matthew Eric Seitz) writes: >In article <2281@charon.unm.edu> hansb@ariel.unm.edu.UUCP (Hans Bechtel) writes: >> >>I know of a store in a big city in New Mexico that after they buy the >>software to sell, they open up the package, copy it, and pass it to >>a few of their friends, shrink-wrap it again, and put it back on the >> > >The computer store I have worked at also did something similar to this. We >would make a copy of software to demonstrate and then reshrink-wrap it. >The reason is that customer's keep wanting two otherwise mutually exclusive >things: 1) They want to see something demonstrated before they buy it and 2) >they want a shrink-wrap fresh copy of software to buy. We couldn't afford to Well, look. We're about to bring a new product to market. Are you saying we shouldnt bother shrimk wrapping it, and that the store will do it for us ? *My, how conveeeeenient.* -- "...(alright Nils, alright)..." richard@gryphon.CTS.COM {ihnp4!scgvaxd!cadovax, rutgers!marque, codas!ddsw1} gryphon!richard
mdf@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu (Mark D. Freeman) (03/10/88)
Gee, this seems to be such a simple issue. Copying shrink-wrap won't work because it is transparent. The photocopier will just print a blank page... (This is merely a sarcastic shot at what I see as a silly subject line.) -- Mark D. Freeman (614) 262-1418 mdf@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu 2440 Medary Avenue ...!cbosgd!osu-cis!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!mdf Columbus, OH 43202-3014 Guest account at The Ohio State University
bobmon@iucs.cs.indiana.edu (RAMontante [condition that I not be identified]) (03/13/88)
>Copying shrink-wrap won't work because it is transparent. The >photocopier will just print a blank page... A GOOD copier will reproduce a blank page... In a similar vein, ask your Kodak Copier Sales Rep for a copy of the instruction sheet for making Two-Sided Transparencies. Not only quite funny, it's also technically accurate. ~-~-~-~-~ "Have you hugged ME today?" RAMontante Computer Science Dept. might be --> bobmon@iucs.cs.indiana.edu Indiana University or maybe --> montante@silver.BACS.indiana.edu