Rev. Bell sent this letter to the Apple Software
Licensing Department on Thursday, March 15, 2001.
Dear Sir or Madam,
I write to express my disappointment, sadness and anger that you
have, apparently, required the historic Apple enthusiasts' web site
www.mac512.com
to desist from making available downloads of very old Mac system
software - almost exclusively prior to System 6 - to other
enthusiasts.
I note than none of that software was ever sold by Apple, but
was available free of charge. I note that Apple used to distribute it
free, but you no longer have it on your ftp site. I note the the owner
of 
the site made no money from the project. I
note that he did not duplicate anything available on Apple's own ftp
site. I know from my own personal experience how useful the Mac512k
site was for those with an interest in old Macintosh computers.
There is a large number of people 'out here' who collect, restore,
and use very old Macs. Very often, as in my case, those machines
co-exist alongside much newer Macs, which are used for 'serious' work.
Invariably, we are the people who tell friends and family to got out
and buy a new Mac when they are changing their computers.
What has Apple gained from cutting off this support? How can
stopping GY from distributing, for example, System 2.0/Finder 4.1,
which runs nicely on my 512ke, in any way be to the benefit of Apple
Computer?
It can't. All you have done is to score a massive PR own-goal among
your most loyal customers, some of whom have been buying Macs since
1984.
Perhaps we enthusiasts can do nothing about this. It certainly will
drive underground the passing on of copies of ancient software to
support newly-found old Macs. It is also totally undermined by the huge
number of academic sites across the globe whose ftp sites continue to
carry this stuff.
On the other hand, my site and I were recently featured in the New
York Times in an article which described the concept of the 'Power
Colo(u)r Classic'. Somehow, journalists find the mix of a Church
minister who also collects and modifies very old computers strangely
appealing. (My current count is 25 compact Macs).
I really don't want to go back to the media with a story
about 'Apple pulls the plug on old Mac collectors'.
So please don't make me. Rethink your decision about
www.mac512.com.
Thank you.
Rev. Stuart Bell
Stuart Bell loves older Macs, especially the Colour
Classic. His Power
Colour Classic site is the most
authoritative site on Colour Classic upgrades in the English language.
And he is still looking for an L2 cache for a 575.
Share your perspective on the Mac by emailing with "My Turn" as your subject.
