Re: FM plugins & utilities. The last word from me

["Stephen Harris" <cyberdiction@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Lin Sims" <linda.sims@verizon.net>
To: <Framers@omsys.com>; <framers@FrameUsers.com>
Cc: "Jeremy H. Griffith" <jeremy@omsys.com>; "Sean Brierley"
<seanb_us@yahoo.com>; "Lester C. Smalley" <lsmalley@infocon.com>; "Shlomo
Perets" <shlomo@microtype.com>
Sent: Tuesday, September 24, 2002 5:53 AM
Subject: RE: FM plugins & utilities. The last word from me


> It seems that I have unintentionally stepped on a few toes when I
> offered to share my list of available tools with the FrameMaker
> community. It has been pointed out to me, with some justification, that
> I should have contacted the vendors of the retail products before
> including them in a list that was being shared with the world. For what

I dont understand this point. Anyone may write a review of any commercial
or non-commercial product whenever they feel like it. There is no copyright
infringement involved, no legal reason not to. Because someone has a
personal preference about the content of your review does not put them
on any moral highground. You are under no obligation whatsoever to seek
approval or permission. The justification you mention above does not exist.
You are experiencing the typical "my opinion should dictate your policy"
syndrome of arrogant people. They of course can criticize the content of
your evaluation and point out why it lacks merit. That is much different
than challenging your right to publish information about a commercial
product without the consent of the vendor. Your venue, perhaps, may be
a consideration. I'm not so sure that Microsoft must publish a criticism
of say MS Word on a forum/mailing list that they provide and pay for.
It is hardly consistent to condemn Gates for monopolistic practices
(the repression of adverse or even unsolicited reviews) and then justify
suppressing (or having a right of approval) for discussion of one's own
commercial product. An inaccurate article offends everyone however
and I can see why you might withdraw it. But not because of phoney
preposterous remarks about a commercial vendor having to give
permission to have his/her product discussed or implying that this
inquiry for permission is somehow a matter of courtesy. Any +/-
that you have experienced is a defense against spurious charges
of slander, defamation etc., when you evaluate/review any software.

Regards,
Stephen
> it's worth, I aplogize to anyone who feels that I shouldn't have been so
> precipitate in publishing what is, after all, a personal reference.
>
> Because of some pointed comments, I am now asking Shlomo,
> Lester, Sean, and Jeremy to remove the document I provided them
> yesterday from their web sites.
>
> When I have the opportunity (read, yeah, I'm busy), I will give them (if
> they still want it) a modified document listing only the Windows-
> platform shareware and freeware utilities and plugins for FrameMaker.
> That was what my document originally started out as, and I guess I
> should have kept it that way instead of trying to include all the third-
> party tools and applications available out there.
>
> Again, I apologize to anyone who was offended.
>
>
>
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