Subject: Re: An Example of Ancient Wares and Present Values
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From: Rubywand <rubywand@swbell.net>
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Date: Wed, 28 Jun 2000 09:51:57 -0500
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SirThomas writes ...
> 
> At the risk of getting heavily flamed by pirates and
> protectionists alike, here goes.
>

     Just a minor correction: Nobody here supports software piracy. Those who
support the archives which host ancient out-of-print commercial wares do so
on the grounds that making the software available ...

o- benefits the copyright holder as well as programmers, artists, and others
listed in the software's credits

o- benefits users

o- violates no anti-piracy statutes .

 
> On the value that companies place on "ancient" software,
> how about looking at a
> fact or two?  Consider this current, Year 2000, example from Activision:
> 
> Buy a whole CD jam packed with Atari 2600 games for $12.95, get a CD
> containing:
> 
> Zork I
> Zork II
> Zork III
> Beyond Zork
> Zork Zero
> Enchanter
> Sorcerer
> Spellbreaker
> Wishbringer
> 
> ...and...
> 
> Scans of all the manuals.
> 
> !!!AND!!!
> 
> All the hint books.
> 
 ....
> 
> Cost in 2000, after $3.95 postage and packing, absolutely, totally,
> unequivocally FREE!!!  Still copyrighted, though!!!
> 
> Hmmmm...
> 
> What conclusions could be drawn on what Activision
> thinks of the value of this
> "ancient" software?  Could one extrapolate this example
> to lots and lots of other companies?
 ....

     Probably. In fact, at the nearly give-away price, what you have shown is
that Activision feels its oldie software has value chiefly for promotional
purposes.

     It hardly matters whether the oldie wares get out to users on a CD
(which probably costs more to produce and distribute than the revenues from
sales will repay) or is distributed via public archives-- except, of course,
that distribution via the archives is free.

     Thanks for posting the information!



Rubywand