#148714 - 2005-09-28 08:38 PM
Tell us how you really feel!
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PeterL
Fresh Scripter
Registered: 2001-05-09
Posts: 20
Loc: SoCal
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Hello everyone,
Haven't posted here in a long time (maybe never, that's how long it's been)...
I routinely setup Windows(R) to display windows with a pale green background (RGB 191,223,191) - kind of like the paper in the "Highlights" magazine you may have read as a kid in the dentist's office (for you U.S. readers only, I guess). Anyway, I just downloaded the KiXtart 4.50 Reference .chm file from ScriptLogic, started browsing, and found some interesting white text that is not visible with the default white window background. There are several variations on a theme here:
"We really wish the moron that runs the KiXtart help desk would stop infringing upon this copyrighted work developed by SL Corp."
and
"We really wish the moron that runs the KiXtart help desk would stop infringing upon this copyrighted material created by SL Corp."
and
"really wish the moron at the KiXtart helpdesk would stop infringing on this work that is copyrighted by SL Corp."
None of these strings seem to be present in the MS Word version of the manual. Here are the sections where I found them (most are approx. 6 pt. type):
Macro Reference (bottom of page)
Pre-tokenizing Scripts (middle of page, same size as body)
Group Membership Information (bottom of page)
Command Reference (bottom of page)
Function Reference (near bottom of page)
EnumIpInfo() (at top of page)
SetOption() (beneath syntax example and HideCursor description)
Some of these notices do seem to apply to additional material supplied by ScriptLogic that is not present in Ruud's .doc manual (e.g. the listings of "new/enhanced" commands and functions). A few others seem to lay claim to copyright merely by adding bold emphasis to text already present in the .doc manual (e.g. Macro Reference). And the rest definitely have nothing to do with ScriptLogic-created material (e.g. Pre-tokenizing Scripts, Group Membership Information, EnumIpInfo(), and SetOption()).
Of course, the real point here is that someone needs to be taught some manners.  A simple, obvious, non-hidden copyright notice on the few pages that actually represent ScriptLogic-created content would have sufficed.
Curiously, there is a normally-visible ScriptLogic copyright notice at the top of the first page of the .chm manual. With the location of this notice, ScriptLogic seems to be laying claim to the content of the entire manual. However, Ruud already has his own copyright notice at the end of the .doc manual. So what does ScriptLogic's notice actually mean? A copyright claim on the formatting of the content? or the work required to create the .chm file?
ScriptLogic's copyright notice is in small type (like the hidden text), and its light grey color makes it barely visible. But if ScriptLogic thinks they have a claim to the content of this file, why don't they make this notice at least as obvious as anything else in the manual? Are they bluffing? 
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#148716 - 2005-09-28 08:54 PM
Re: Tell us how you really feel!
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PeterL
Fresh Scripter
Registered: 2001-05-09
Posts: 20
Loc: SoCal
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Les,
It was my hope that surfacing this stuff might make SL clean it up. But if you think this posting will only make things worse, please feel free to delete it.
(Peter)
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#148718 - 2005-09-28 09:08 PM
Re: Tell us how you really feel!
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PeterL
Fresh Scripter
Registered: 2001-05-09
Posts: 20
Loc: SoCal
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OK, a boycott may be in order, but do you think SL will notice?
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#148720 - 2005-09-28 09:27 PM
Re: Tell us how you really feel!
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iffy
Starting to like KiXtart
Registered: 2005-05-29
Posts: 149
Loc: The Netherlands
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This really is ridiculous, I wonder if a senior management person at ScriptLogic knows about this. Could be some silly prank from way past but hidden from view. Btw, a search in the chm for 'moron' finds 7 occurances.
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#148721 - 2005-09-28 09:36 PM
Re: Tell us how you really feel!
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PeterL
Fresh Scripter
Registered: 2001-05-09
Posts: 20
Loc: SoCal
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Which "KiXtart helpdesk" do you think the SL editor was refering to? Theirs, or some "unnamed" BBS? 
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#148724 - 2005-09-28 09:44 PM
Re: Tell us how you really feel!
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PeterL
Fresh Scripter
Registered: 2001-05-09
Posts: 20
Loc: SoCal
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Oh, that one. Thx.
It would be an interesting exercise to search for these strings in .chm files for previous KiX versions. I have the v4.22 .chm and they are not there. Not even the "official" copyright notice is present. So I'm guessing this started with v4.5?
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#148726 - 2005-09-28 09:58 PM
Re: Tell us how you really feel!
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PeterL
Fresh Scripter
Registered: 2001-05-09
Posts: 20
Loc: SoCal
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In a war of lawsuits ("copyright" infringement vs. libel) I wonder who would win this one?
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#148733 - 2005-09-28 11:07 PM
Re: Tell us how you really feel!
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PeterL
Fresh Scripter
Registered: 2001-05-09
Posts: 20
Loc: SoCal
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Sorry, I wan't suggesting a boycott myself, I just misunderstood Jooel's actions in removing the link to that file.
Yes, I doubt that SL management is aware of this and yes, I hope that someone with clout can inform them ASAP. I also work for a large company and understand the bad exposure that this sort of thing can cause. In fact, I expect that a head will roll over this - management may have no other choice.
Looking on the bright side, this incident may finally force the issue of SL's claims to copyright (or lack thereof) to be positively adressed once and for all.
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