des@druxh.UUCP (Salyer) (04/07/84)
<.> <== Sacrifice to the Great Line-Gobbler gods of the Net. Recently it was noted that one reason that 'pirates' 'steal' the software is that they wouldn't buy it any-way. Well there is an alternative. A company called 'Black Sun Program Exchange' has a large selection of software for the Apple. When you join this service you get three options 1) you can buy the software ( at their reduced rate ), 2) you can rent the software ( kinda 'check it out before you buy' ) for three weeks, after which you have the option of buying, 3) or swapping software (with original packaging ) for another package. This is (to my mind) one major reason for piracy - that the potential buyer/pirate is not sure of the quality of the package, and wants to 'check it out' first. Of course this doesn't mean that he/she will buy it if itr turns out to be good, but it's a good excuse. Black Sun provides an alternative (albeit, also an opportunity to) piracy, thus removing one of the 'reasons' for piracy. A side benefit of this service is the swapping option. If you do decide to buy, and then some time later decide you don't need (or have 'played out') a program, you can swap it for another program of similar price range. This is especially nice for adventure/arcade type games. For those interested, the address of Black Sun is: Black Sun Program Exchange P.O. Box 66 Wyncote, PA 19095 (215) 884-8187 Hope this will persuade some potential 'pirates' to rent rather than 'steal'. From the electronic pen of Dale Salyer ... AT&T Information Systems Laboratories 11900 N. Pecos St. Denver, CO. 80234 Net address: {whatever}druxh!des