Okay...Some perspective.
1. Kenneth Wong has been, over the years, one of the most prolific
contributors of time and energy to this list, and the Newton
community...period.
2. The software authors have been contacted, in various forms, repeatedly;
by Kenneth, by me, and by other Newtonians. In some cases, they didn't want
to talk about it (Quit wasting my bandwidth here, it's *DEAD*). In other
cases, SeamLess participants were going to check with the members of the
dissolved partnership to see if the code could be reassembled and released
publicly. After hearing nothing on this, these same folk were pinged, only
to find they had moved elsewhere with no forwarding address and no way to
re-establish contact. The prevalent feeling, from all the contacts reported
was "that's the past of which I could care less, don't bother me".
3. If there was a place to PAY for the software, countless folks would
have, and have offered to, even unsupported. But there is no place to pay,
their domain is vacant, and the personnel are scattered to the four winds.
I've spent hours on the telephone trying to track down even one of these
guys with no luck at all.
4. There is a definite need for this software, or a reasonable facsimile
thereof, in the Newton community. But we are a community of vanishing
resources, the existing commercial developers having frozen their product
lines with no new developments for the Newtons (with a few *very* notable
exceptions), and the newer developers without the resources/time/experience
to be able to cobble up a replacement without a massive effort for little to
no economic return. The only existing alternative has never worked for most
folks, and has never been particularly "supported", although payment was
sent, and it was not cheap!
5. The Newton community, as a whole, has always been vehemently supportive
of their developers, attacking people who asked for serial numbers and/or
"hacks" and/or "warez" for active Newton software like rabid dogs. I know,
I'm one of the most notorious roasters...and so is Kenneth! There was one
guy who produced hacks for active Newton software and was so roundly and
universally castigated for his actions he abandoned the platform altogether.
Lookout cannot be considered, in any shape, way, or form, "active"
software.
6. As this platform dies (and unfortunately, it will eventually barring
some "white knight" action by a sympathetic or particularly insightful
vendor), what was once black and white will blur to shades of gray.
Resources will be concentrated on particular issues where there are no
alternatives, as it has to be. Existing alternatives will be examined,
reused, restructured, and reused again. This is the only way to prolong the
life of a totally orphaned platform. It's sometimes ugly, sometimes
questionable, but if you want to continue to use it, this is what your gonna
have to do.
7. Some of the existing developers are aware of the plight and the issues
surrounding this software and company. They have also concurred that this
is probably the only way to go.
8. It is a "slippery slope", agreed. If it were, any any sense of the
word, "active" software, I would wholeheartedly agree with your position,
and have subscribed to it in the past, and will in the future. But this
*particular* situation is different, due to the massive effort that was
mounted, the complete indifference of the authors, the death of the company,
the lack of a place to pay for it, and the need of the community.
Nobody is trying to set precedent here, they're just trying to get their
work done with the tool of their choice, even though it has been orphaned.
We, as a community (probably the highest concentration of Newton users left)
have tried repeatedly, in good faith, to "do the right thing". And we will
continue to struggle with these same issues for years to come, as our circle
of fellows becomes smaller and smaller and resources become more difficult
to find.
You use the word "stealing"...but I ask, from who? The authors have
indicated that they have no interest in the software anymore. Theft if a
crime with victims, people that suffer some loss as a result of the crime,
but I see no victims or losses here. You have stated your position in pure
black and white, as did I when I was very young and idealistic. But, as I
get older and my experience grows, what used to be a vast expanse of black
and white separated by an exceedingly thin stripe of gray in the center has,
very gradually, changed where the thin gray line has widened and taken
shades from dark gray to almost white. Today, there are a few things IMO,
but just a few, that are *absolutely* bad/evil or *absolutely* good. Most
everything else is some lighter or darker shade of non-white that I
constantly have to decide what I will tolerate...my "ethical boundaries", as
it were.
So, in this particular situation, with this particular software, at this
particular point in time, I think each individual user will have to look
into him or her self to find the right answer.
And I say this as a software engineer and vendor who has NEVER had his
"ethical boundaries" questioned. :)
Regards,
Gary
(formerly Mr. Anonymous)
BTW: Sorry for the length of this diatribe! My $3.27 worth!
----Original Message Follows----
From: "Humphreys, David" <david.humphreys@honeywell.com>
To: "'newtontalk@planetnewton.com'" <newtontalk@planetnewton.com>
Subject: RE: NTLK Lookout 1.1
Date: Fri, 10 Mar 2000 12:49:27 -0700
<rant mode on>
Kenneth, you wrote:
> Erm, in this case,
>
> 1. The hack has been pretty public knowledge
The fact that lots of people know about it does not, in any way, infer that
is either legally, ethically or morally ok to use it.
> 2. There is only one alternative to LookOut, and that's
> not cheap or even
> reliable (I keep getting error 1006 synching contacts)
I sympathize with you and your position. Wants and needs, however, do not
give a person the right to steal, which, whether you want to admit it or
not, is what you are doing.
> 3. Seamless has not made any attempt to contact any of us
> who almost NEED
> the software. For those of you NOT using MS Exchange server
> in the office,
> it's hard to emphasize. Same for those who don't sync. Easy
> to talk when
> you're out of the picture. My office uses Exchange server for
> workgroup
> collaboration and it syncs well with my Palm, which is a
> PRIMARY reason why
> I bought the Palm in the first place. By alienating people
> who need to sync
> with Exchange, people who condemn hacks in such circumstances
> are basically
> encouraging Newton owners who have NO RECOURSE to go out and
> SWITCH TO PALM.
If Seamless software has gone out of business or has otherwise left the
planet then you are SOL.
Sorry if you feel alienated but HACKING IS WRONG...PERIOD.
You have already found a solution to your sync problem by buying a PALM.;-)
If you take the position that condemning hacks is tantamount to forcing a
platform shift, then you have taken melodrama to a whole new level!
I will totally and vehemently oppose software hacking in ALL forms, even if
on the surface it appears to be for the common good. The slope is slippery
and not easy to get off once you are on it.
We must all see that the dividing line is sharp and doesn't get blurred.
> 4. Hacks are more wrong if the company is still in
> business. But this
> company is OUT OF BUSINESS. Frankly, I'd have gone on using the hacked
> lookout until I learn from any of the active Newton sites or
> this mailing
> list that Seamless handles registration again. Otherwise, I'd
> have switched
> to my Palm. For good.
"Hacks are more wrong...??" How can they be more wrong? They are, by
definition, a wrongful act to start with!
Out of business does not mean "here take this software and steal it"!
I suggest that you closely examine your ethical boundaries.
It is, of course, your decision to use pirated software. You are not,
however,
justified in doing so.
Let you conscience be your guide :-)
David Humphreys
PCB Designer
Purchaser of ALL my software
http:/david.humphreys@honeywell.com
<rant mode off>
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