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-
-
- THE DIRTY DOZEN
- ---------------
-
- A List of Ripped-Off "Freeware"
- by Tom Neff [76556,2536]
-
- Updated Oct 20th, 1985
-
- These are illegally copied programs being distributed as "public domain"
- on various IBM PC bulletin boards across the country. Most of them are
- commercial pirate jobs, although a few of them are legitimate freeware
- or user supported programs that have been hacked up by people with
- warped minds. The category of each one is listed.
-
- Remember, Sysops: if it looks like a superb game or disk utility, and it
- doesn't have the author's name and address on it, together with explicit
- permission to distribute the program, it is probably NOT really public
- domain! If we don't want to see the BBS community smothered under
- hysterical regulations, we've got to work together to fight that trend.
- A great way to start is by keeping an eye on our download libraries, and
- giving these files "the BOOT!" TMN
-
- CATEGORIES:
-
- PIRATED - Either removed from a commercially published package
- (and converted to a DOS .COM file if necessary), or
- else a beta test copy of a commercial program under
- development, sneaked into distribution by a
- disgruntled employee or dishonest beta tester.
- Sometimes the program in question never made it to
- market, possibly because of the pre-pirating!
-
- HACKED - An unlawfully modified copy of a legitimate freeware
- or user supported program. Some pirated programs have
- also been hacked. It is illegal to distribute a
- modified copy of someone else's work without their
- permission. If the author has obtained that
- permission, it should be mentioned in the program
- display or documentation.
-
- *TROJAN* - BEWARE!! These programs are launched into the BBS
- file network by people with the LSD-in-the-reservoir
- mentality, and cause some form of damage to your
- system if you're unwary enough to run them. It is
- IMPERATIVE that you let me know about any new
- examples of these that you find.
-
- Name Category Notes
- ------------- -------- -------------------------------------------
- DIR PIRATED
- AXX PIRATED really AUTODEX
- BUSHIDO PIRATED
- DEB88 PIRATED DeSmet "C" debugger
- DIGGER PIRATED
- EGABTR *TROJAN* BEWARE! Description says something like
- "improve your EGA display," but when run it
- deletes everything in sight and prints "HA HA
- YOU LOSE."
- KONG PIRATED
- LIST60 HACKED Vern Buerg's LIST 5.1, patched to read 6.0.
- NOVATRON PIRATED
- PCBOSS PIRATED
- PSHIFT PIRATED really MEMORY SHIFT
- QMDM110.ARC HACKED ONLY versions 1.10 and 1.10A! They are
- QMDM110A.ARC copies of 1.09, hacked to read 1.10. There
- have been rumors of a"W^I5 in 1.10, but I
- haven't seen any evidence of it. Other
- versions are OK.
- ROGUE PIRATED
- SEE PIRATED DeSmet editor
- SFX PIRATED really AUTODEX (again!)
- STARGATE PIRATED
- XDIR PIRATED From IBM utilities disk
- ZAXXON PIRATED
-
- If you have any additions to this list, send them to me (Tom Neff)
- at any of the following places:
-
- * Compuserve User ID [76556,2536]
- (via Easyplex electronic mail or
- the IBM Novice Forum, GO IBMNOV)
-
- * Atlantic Palisades RBBS (718-238-7855)
-
- * DEC-WARE Fido, Fidonet node 107/1
-
- the IBM Novice Forum, GO IBMNOV)
-
- * Atlantic Palisades
-
-
-