[futurebasic] Re: [FB] Call for contributions

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From: jonathan <jonathan@...>
Date: Lun, 26 Oct 98 01:15:23 +0100
Pete

- please excuse me answering on the list, but I think that this is
important -

>I think part of your proposal is in breach of international copyright
>agreements. Especially these 2 proposals:
>
>>* that we have your permission to change those resources
>>* that we can indicate in your ReadMe file, that the app was made in
>>  FutureBasic, and that FB is distributed in France by Pix & Mix.
>
>The copyright issue is that it is the right of the author to have the work
>distributed unmodified.

We are seeking permission from the copyright holders. We will localise
no app *without* that permission. We excluded your commercial apps
specifically because that would involve third parties, and make getting
copyright permission from them, involve papers etc.
I hope/believe that on this list 'trust' wil be enough. We are forcing
no-one to go along with this. And in my eyes, the author will retain
copyright on the localised app.

>A better way to achieve what you want would be to act as a consultant to
>the code writer.

We don't intend to touch the code. If the app has been coded 'for
localisation', all info will be in resources. We would translate these,
and documentation, then run them to check that text doesn't overflow 
dialog
boxes etc. If it does, then we'll get the author a blow-by-blow
account of problems, and ask if they can fix them. If they can't/won't
then things stop there.

>Also to encourage the code writer to place a list of international
>distributors in the read me file.

This will take us time. In return for that time i ask that the 2 mentions
(STAZ and Pix&Mix) appear, if you want to put in other distributors - 
fine.
Call putting in the mentions, payment for consultancy. I don't even want
my name in there - that's not what I'm looking for.
Personally, i have nothing to gain on this, only precious time to lose.

But I see an indirect gain, for myself, and others on this list.
I want folks to be intrigued say: "hey, I can do this in FBII?",
If they get intrigued to the point that they buy FB, that's great
for STAZ. If they get intrigued to the point they post newbie
questions here, that's also great. If STAZ gets cash in, and
can continue with FBII ('cos it ain't finished yet, and should
continue for years still), and perhaps bring out FB^3 alongside FBII,
then that's great for me and the list. OK, it's a far shot to believe
that letting me localise your app in French for free, will help FB^3.
But every small step helps, and I prefer 'doing' to 'moaning'.

>No offence meant to you personally, but I would not trust _anyone_ to play
>around with the internals of my program. Would you trust me to convert your
>code into Australian. Every second message would be beer. 8)
Let this be clear, blue. I do not want to play with your internals. Just 
help *you* localise *your* apps. If some stuff is hard coded - fine, send 
me a vocab list, I'll translate it and send it back. 

Stop. Is this clear? Executive summary:
* it's an offer, no-one is obliged to do anything if they don't want to
* i gain nothing on this - except perhaps the chance to have private
  conversations with one or two, as we clean up stuff
* you keep all rights to everything
* it costs you nothing, but a little time, if we must clear stuff up
  together

>I'll have a Pernod (with water) with you sometime.
And i'll take a shandy. You'll all be invited to the next meeting of the
parisian FBers, and those that are absent had better have a damn good 
excuse
;-)

jonathan
[sorry if the tone of this is hard at times - it's not my
intention, and Pete - i'm not hitting you at all. It's late,
this clock changing has messed my internal clock up - the zombies
are playing around, and half a dozen other things. I admit
I'm irritable and could have rephrased a couple of things
better - but as you all already know my feelings for the
listees - no harm will be done.]

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