clarson@ux.acs.umn.edu (Chaz Larson) (09/26/90)
In article <107990003@hpcuhc.HP.COM> rterry@hpcuhc.HP.COM (Ray Terry) writes: >>Has anyone spoke to Aladdin regarding the licensing of the format for Stuffit >>Deluxe? > >Not me personally, but, yes, others have. I'm one of those others. I got sick and tired of all the baseless speculation about Aladdin's nefarious motives in playing the Deluxe format close to the vest, so I gave them a call yesterday. I spoke to a very helpful fellow in customer service, telling him about the raging debate going on on UseNet and asking for some general-type answers. He told me: -that this "proprietary format" thing is a subject of heated debate within Aladdin as well. -Aladdin is "very willing" to work with potential developers on a case by case basis with regard to releasing the Deluxe format specifications. They are not limiting this to "big companies" or deep pockets. -In many cases, there could be no fee for the use of the format. Aladdin views cross-platform development as a win-win situation. The developer [and public] gets an unsit that works on the Timex or whatever, and Aladdin's "standard" is made more widely available. -With regard to source distribution issues: I gave him a hypothetical situation based on my current position. I am a Lab Consultant in a microcomputer lab here at the University of Minnesota. Say, for example, that I wanted to implement an un-Stuffing program on the Encore machine I'm reading news on. This fellow told me that Aladdin would be more than willing to work with me toward that end, and when my wonderful un-Stuffer was complete, I could freely distribute the binary, but not the source. This, of course, means that different programs will be needed for different specific machines and OS variants; however, as I said, Aladdin seems more than willing to help make those different programs happen. -In the hypothetical situation given above, I was told that there would be no charge for the Deluxe format spec; I would only have to sign a non-disclosure agreement. -Your mileage may vary. Give them a call yourself. The fellow I talked to gave what seemed like a reasonable rationale for the "closed" format. If Aladdin releases the format for Deluxe, then every other competing product can work with Deluxe archives, and Aladdin has lost a point of competition. Bill G. and Salient are in no hurry to make their competing formats a matter of public record, so why should Aladdin release theirs? I forgot to ask about another hypothetical situation yesterday. I'll call today and ask this one. Let's say I'm an admin at a public archive site. I don't have a specific project in mind, but I would like a copy of the Deluxe format for future reference, since many submissions to my archive are in Deluxe format. I may in the the future have need of a Deluxe archive tool of some kind, and would like to be prepared for that eventuality with a file copy of the format. I'll ask Aladdin about this today; of course, the Aladdin net rep is welcome to respond to it as well. Now, after all that, let me say this. I think this argument is amazingly pointless. Aladdin has no "moral responsibility" to make the Deluxe format a matter of public record, any more than Apple is obliged to publish the source for the ROMs. They are very willing to accomodate cross-platform development, so they can hardly be accused of nefarious intentions or of "holding the Mac world hostage." I would suggest that before anyone post ridiculous diatribes about how evil the folks at Aladdin are, they place a phone call to Aladdin and ask about what they have in mind. The phone number is 408-685-9175. They open at 8:30 Pacific time. Disclaimer: I have absolutely no connection with Aladdin except as a satisfied user of their products. chaz -- -- "I Am The Reincarnation of Abraham Lincoln", Insists Prince. -spew clarson@ux.acs.umn.edu AOL:Crowbone