CompuServe Messages

It's an interesting exercise in ethics, but I don't think it's so practical a discussion. Remember the essay that Mark Twain wrote about the typewriter? He was the first writer in history to submit a mss for publication that was "typed" and many of the writers of the day were in an uproar, accusing him of being a "traitor" to the craft. I remember similar dire (although far more muted) objections to the availability of word processors in the early 70's – editorials in Writer's Digest and other publications predicting the doom of literature because "anybody would be able to crank out a manuscript in a few days…" In fact, it's really a rather easy matter to produce most of the products and concepts on the market. I could easily come out with a new publishing magazine, for example. And there are many ways to build a car, or a phone, or a computer… The *problem* is in actually bringing the product to market, following through in servicing customers, and maintaining quality production. I might come out with the first issue of my publishing magazine, for example, but it would take far more than just a Mac and a lino to actually be successful at it! And that's precisely why I don't think programs like Earl's are such a risk for companies like Adobe…even if we were to post a clone of their fonts. There are always people who want "the original." Look at any market – toys, games, computers, cars, dishes, jewelery (how many variations on Tupperware are there? How many companies make class rings?), and on and on…and you'll see that there are always imitators who grab part of the market, and the "original, quality" products who also hold part of the market. The main function that the imitators play is to stabilize standards of pricing and service in the marketplace. "Originals" define the standards of service; "Imitators" define the standards of price. So, while Earl's product may drive down the price of fonts, I'd have a hard time being upset about that. If the many software companies which market $10 and $20 products can make a living selling $.50 diskettes for that…then so can Adobe! /ex