QL Software Preservation - Next Steps

[pjw]

If you are satisfied that what you do is right and necessary, then who cares what the trolls say? I, for one, believe that what you are doing is commendable, that your intentions are good, and that the QL community (such as it is) would be considerably worse off without you!

Dont give up!

Per

[XorA]

suggesting that they report me to the tax authorities because RWAP Software is not a legitimate business and cannot be found at Companies house.

WTF, people too stupid to even know what a company is!

Grrrrr

Makes me mad when the internet acts like this!

Specially when they attack someone who has done his best to support something.

[Outsoft]

suggesting that they report me to the tax authorities because RWAP Software is not a legitimate business and cannot be found at Companies house.

WTF, people too stupid to even know what a company is!

Grrrrr

Makes me mad when the internet acts like this!

Specially when they attack someone who has done his best to support something.

I think the same

I've wrote the same in one post here recently assumed that those people...act as "like this" and for the spanish forum I become a DON (Italian Mafia) ^_^

So apart a very big laugh the problem with the rights remain and It's incredible don't see what Rich have done during these last 30 years for the QL...and that they always have to attack him in the same way during the last years...on every new Spanigh forum...absurd!!!

[Silvester]

I thought Marcel put it quite succinctly in his post on ql-users.

Perhaps the upset is due to perceived double-standards?

I still don't understand how making copies of software (other than a working copy for your own personal use) is not falling-at-the-first-fence of the copyright law often cited.

Not that I don't commend the efforts made to preserve old software.

[RWAP]

I thought Marcel put it quite succinctly in his post on ql-users.

Perhaps the upset is due to perceived double-standards?

I still don't understand how making copies of software (other than a working copy for your own personal use) is not falling-at-the-first-fence of the copyright law often cited.

Not that I don't commend the efforts made to preserve old software.

That is indeed true - hence why I don't just share out my preserved software without permission - I still have all the originals!

All the upset is about people who believe that it cannot be classed as preservation if I don't just hand over everything lock stock and barrel free for anyone to download....

[1024MAK]

If you are satisfied that what you do is right and necessary, then who cares what the trolls say? I, for one, believe that what you are doing is commendable, that your intentions are good, and that the QL community (such as it is) would be considerably worse off without you!

Dont give up!

Per

I agree with the above.

Whether you agree or disagree with the copyright law is irrelevant. Richard tries to stay within the law, it's as simple as that. That is his right. The same applies to the copyright holders of the software. It is up to them to decide if they wish to allow their work to be copied freely or not. If they decide not to allow it, or the copyright holder cannot be found, or does not wish to reply to questions, the relevant software cannot be copied and distributed. That is the law.

Richard, if you want help with anything, I will do what I can. I can help with funding. But I am not sure what else I can help with, as I was not involved with the QL scene until a few years ago. So have little knowledge of what software existed, let alone who wrote it. If someone else wants to take this project on board, I'm happy to support you.

Mark

[1024MAK]

With regards to the trouble makers, the only sensible thing to do, is to ignore them as much as possible.

The WoS Wikipedia entry has been under attack, and there are plenty of nasty comments on social media. Even when you give a logical answer, the attackers ignore it and change their attack.

Hopefully if we ignore them, they will get bored and find someone else to annoy.

Mark

[RWAP]

With regards to the trouble makers, the only sensible thing to do, is to ignore them as much as possible.

I wish I could - but having put up with these comments for 2 years, it does have an impact on the reputation of my business and the extra stress does not help with my current ongoing illness.

There is plenty of opportunity for others to step forward who are interested in preserving QL software with plenty of jobs to do:

a) Check the spreadsheet I created on dropbox to see if any more titles are already on Dilwyn's website (or even similar sounding ones so we can check them against the preserved version).
b) Similarly check against software in the Quanta library - whilst that software is generally not public domain (being donated to Quanta for the use of its members), some titles are actually public domain when you read accompanying quill files
c) Try to find copies of the software which is MIA or where they are marked as corrupt on the spreadsheet
d) Try to identify and track down / contact the copyright holders for other titles which are not currently available
e) Check the spreadsheet against the QL Wiki to identify where entries need to be created or updated
f) Work through old QL User / QL World magazines (and other magazines) to identify even more software titles and add details (however basic) to the QL Wiki - particularly about when they were first sold and prices. Watch out for interviews or letters / news items which might indicate the name of the author or person behind a publisher.


That is just off the top of my head - I am sure others will spot things that they can do .....

[Outsoft]

With regards to the trouble makers, the only sensible thing to do, is to ignore them as much as possible.

I wish I could - but having put up with these comments for 2 years, it does have an impact on the reputation of my business and the extra stress does not help with my current ongoing illness.

There is plenty of opportunity for others to step forward who are interested in preserving QL software with plenty of jobs to do:

a) Check the spreadsheet I created on dropbox to see if any more titles are already on Dilwyn's website (or even similar sounding ones so we can check them against the preserved version).
b) Similarly check against software in the Quanta library - whilst that software is generally not public domain (being donated to Quanta for the use of its members), some titles are actually public domain when you read accompanying quill files
c) Try to find copies of the software which is MIA or where they are marked as corrupt on the spreadsheet
d) Try to identify and track down / contact the copyright holders for other titles which are not currently available
e) Check the spreadsheet against the QL Wiki to identify where entries need to be created or updated
f) Work through old QL User / QL World magazines (and other magazines) to identify even more software titles and add details (however basic) to the QL Wiki - particularly about when they were first sold and prices. Watch out for interviews or letters / news items which might indicate the name of the author or person behind a publisher.


That is just off the top of my head - I am sure others will spot things that they can do .....

We will go on...

[jose_leandro]

Hi RWAP (and outsoft)

I don't mean to be rude but

You sent to me a private mail because I'm one of Spanish guys that "attacked" you in spanish forum. I decided not write a reply because I don't have enough english level to make a good reply of your reproaches.

But I see today that you still complained because bad spanish guys , or pirated spanish guys or whatever you like spanish guys don't like some tricks you (and outsoft) made.

I would like to show other side of the history.

This history is about one spanish guy called badaman. I think he is one of the two or three real QL user ( people that bought his QL in the 80 and still use it) that there are in Spain. He decide to leave the software he has in a forum few day after outsoft ask for QL software preserve project.

A couple of day after that, the webmaster received a message from hosting because an "anonymous" complaint for piracy software

and the the storm began....

- The webmaster was lucky because other hosting first close the service and them you have to prove that is not true. We talked about the fact that a complaint (true or false) can close a website.

- People gave their opinion about "anonymous" . Some people thought behind this was RWAP (and/or outsoft). He made it in the past ( Remember RADASTAN QL website?) and because you work in the "dark" QL preserve project. Your business point of view can be good for some things (your membranes service is wonderful) but raises concern in other fields.

- Some person asked for the sense of closed project (QL world) instead open project (Spectrum, Amstrad, Dragon, Atari world, etc, etc) and the future of these scenes. Many people think that close QL project don't help to death QL scene.

- And the most import , we never speak about put in the web copyright software if the author does not want. Other question is if "someone" cry out for copyright he has but never show (and we have to believe) or "someone" that clu out for help in QL software and then sell it, or......

To finish,you ask me about my QL contribution. It's very small like my contribution in spectrum, Amstrad ,dragon or zx81 but I don't care about it. I only do it because I like it.

I guess this is goodbye. I allow you to close me account if you like

Thanks all

José Leandro