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LEllE1~s<br />
to tl1E Edito1~<br />
Copy Protection<br />
Sir:<br />
Kudos to Andent, Inc. for their<br />
continued sale and support of<br />
software without copy protection<br />
(Letters, Apple Orchard, March·<br />
April 1982). It seems that other<br />
software companies are coming<br />
around to the realization that<br />
such" protection" actually costs them<br />
more sales than does the piracy.<br />
As manufacturer of the original<br />
Lower Case Adapter, I have had over<br />
100 calls asking whether the LCA is<br />
compatible with VisiCalc. I have to<br />
answer thC!t the LCA doesn't interfere<br />
with VisiCalc, but that there won't be<br />
lower case type. And, because<br />
VisiCalc is copy-protected, I don't<br />
know how to modify it to utilize lower<br />
case.<br />
I would like to use VisiCalc myself, but<br />
have not purchased it for two<br />
reasons: I can't allow my business to<br />
be dependent on a software package<br />
that can't be backed up, and nearly all<br />
of my work is done on 8-inch disks,<br />
and VisiCalc can't be "moved up" to<br />
the bigger disks.<br />
12 Apple Orchard<br />
I can't imagine any business<br />
knowinglytying itself to a product that<br />
can't be backed up, regardless of how<br />
good the product is. And what if a<br />
business does start using a product,<br />
then later needs more disk space?<br />
Mail Orders<br />
Sir:<br />
Dan Paymar<br />
Durango, CO<br />
We find the no-mail order policy<br />
recently implemented by Apple<br />
Computer very distasteful.<br />
Apple's new policy was described<br />
as an effort to provide consumer<br />
education and promote customer<br />
satisfaction. This is patently false, and<br />
we're surprised that Apple would<br />
think that a group of computer users<br />
would fall for it There is also the<br />
question of restraint of trade, which<br />
the courts can handle, but the first<br />
point made can be addressed here.<br />
By removing the mail-order houses<br />
from the marketplace, the customer<br />
is forced to buy at retail stores, where<br />
the prices are generally higher.<br />
Limiting a consumer's options is<br />
never in his best interest Further,<br />
because a large portion of Apple's<br />
current "family" became members<br />
by mail, this can't help but have an<br />
effect on Apple's market share.<br />
The claim that "only the retail stores<br />
can provide the necessary service<br />
and education" is based on a faulty<br />
assumption: that the retail stores can<br />
and do provide this service. In the<br />
areas of both sales and service, many<br />
stores just have not justified Apple's<br />
confidence in them. A good retailer is<br />
rare, and most are poor at applying<br />
their products to the needs of thew<br />
their products to the needs of the<br />
user. They are good at developing<br />
schedules of high prices, though.<br />
The "customer satisfaction" that<br />
Apple is trying to improve would be<br />
better served if Apple leaned on its<br />
retailers, rather than removing a spur<br />
to better performance. The con·<br />
sumer who orders by mail knows<br />
that he can't get personal service; his<br />
eyes are wide open.<br />
And, if Apple enforces the mail order<br />
ban, how will someone outside of a<br />
metropilitan area purchase equipment?<br />
For that matter, what if any<br />
store is out of stock?<br />
We do support our retailers when they<br />
have products and services we can<br />
use, given price and availability
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