Broadcast 2000 Removed From Public Access 264
VRteach writes: "I see that the developers of the fine multimedia software, Broadcast 2000, have removed their main product from public access. Their web site cites a worry of potential liability." The site says that "the distribution of Broadcast 2000 enhanced to unacceptable levels the risk of an individual experiencing significant financial damage due to the extremely expensive nature of high end video production and the high risk inherent in professional video business marketing." It also says they plan to keep issuing "minor works" for now, and as liability issues are resolved to again release major programs.
Unless I'm mistaken... (Score:2, Informative)
What's the betting this is somehow DMCA related...
Re:Is this saying what I think it is? (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Mirrors? (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Mirrors? (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Mirrors? (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Is this saying what I think it is? (Score:2, Informative)
If these companies are stupid enough to go under then the can blame themselves for bad management and not bad software, unless of course they're using MS stuff ;-)
Here's the bit from the GPL about warranty, I'd say using the product shows acceptance of the disclaimer! Within the GPL, you are allowed to offer a warranty for a fee.
NO WARRANTY
11. BECAUSE THE PROGRAM IS LICENSED FREE OF CHARGE, THERE IS NO WARRANTY FOR THE PROGRAM, TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW. EXCEPT WHEN OTHERWISE STATED IN WRITING THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND/OR OTHER PARTIES PROVIDE THE PROGRAM "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THE ENTIRE RISK AS TO THE QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE OF THE PROGRAM IS WITH YOU. SHOULD THE PROGRAM PROVE DEFECTIVE, YOU ASSUME THE COST OF ALL NECESSARY SERVICING, REPAIR OR CORRECTION.
Re:Well that shot Linux credibility to hell. (Score:3, Informative)
Yeah... why not? The GPL saves the right for *anyone* to fork the code. There is always a more fearless group out there willing to take up controversial code.
So if someone still has the tarball...
It's time for Broad-Kast XP!
Re:the babelfish version... (Score:4, Informative)
No amount of disclaimers and click-through agreements can keep these lawsuits from getting started, and once started they are incredible money-sinks.
Exactly this kind of thing happened to Burt Rutan, the designer of almost every interesting airplane over the last 20 years. His VariEze, and follow-on LongEZ were spectacular designs, but a few people built them poorly, died, and Burt was sued. He defended four of five of these lawsuits, and won every one, but decided that there were better ways to spend one's life, and pulled the plans off the market. In something parallel to what will happen here; there are xeroxed versions of the LongEZ plans out there if you really want them, in a samizdat kind of operation. Burt's current company, Scaled Composits [scaled.com] continues to build exciting airplanes, but only for the corporate market.
thad
Re:I am not a lawyer, but.. (Score:2, Informative)
I think this is a hoax. (Score:5, Informative)
Here:
http://sourceforge.net/forum/forum.php?thread_i
they mention makine Cinelerra a commercial program, but the message itself looks like it was either a joke or written by someone high at the time. Cinelerra is GPLed, by the way.
From their docs (manual.ps in the Cinerella distro):
"In mid 2000 designs for a Broadcast 2000 replacement were drafted. The Broadcast name was officially retired from the series and the software would now be called Cinelerra."
Re:What exactly does this software *do*? (Score:2, Informative)
and make videos, on a secure, robust enviroment such as Linux. and then you could also use the windows version.
Re:I don't understand... (Score:3, Informative)
For such a person or company, moving from video equipment (which can be VERY expensive) to computers can save a lot of money and time (except for download/rendering/upload time). Video production time costs A LOT of money. (I'm not in a major market, yet I've been called cheap for paying videographers and editors less than $30/hour!) So suppose I'm using BC2K on my systems. It's 3 am and we've been working 24 hours straight and, due to some previously unknown bug, we do something with BC2K and lose 24 hours of work. With one editor at $25/hour, that's $600 of work.
Maybe GPL says I don't have grounds to sue, but if I can make a case and say this bug cost me 3 days work in editing, graphics work, and videography, then I might claim much more. While GPL or any other license may say I give up any claims, I can still sue. By the time it is decided I have a groundless lawsuit, the programmer and company -- who let me get the program for free -- have spent quite a chunk of change to do nothing more than get the court to rule I can't sue.
It has nothing to do with other players. To me it makes sense. Video production costs A LOT of money and most production companies will get into quite a snit if something they expect to work screws up and ruins a lot of work.
perhaps this has something to do with why? (Score:2, Informative)
Source, DMCA, SSSCA, &c. (Score:1, Informative)
Anyone else seeing this with regards to the DMCA, SSSCA, &c? Suppose someone uses this in some way to pirate or edit an existing commercial film. The MPAA decides that the tool was used to circumvent something or another, and sue. And, of course, there's the SSSCA--I'm not familiar, but I don't think this currently utilizes "copy-protection" measures.
BTW, anyone else find the SSSCA's definition of "interactive digital device" a little broad? As in, every piece of software and every digital electronics device ever created, down to your pocket calculator? Seems like an FTP client transferring an MP3 without checking the copyright flag would be in big trouble.
-mpr-
Re:As I understand it... (Score:3, Informative)
Re:I am not a lawyer, but.. (Score:5, Informative)
Mandrake from 8.0 has this, SF site going up (Score:3, Informative)
``Would she still like me if I was one of the guys who follow the camels around to pick up after them, or a lawyer, or something?'' - King Xerxes (a zucchini) from the VeggieTales version of Esther
The Register has a story on it (Score:3, Informative)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/archive/19
I met the writer too. A real mean bastard who got me into a lot of trouble.
Adam is a nice guy who needs all the support he can get.
Straight from the horse's mouth... (Score:3, Informative)
The reason that the developers dropped this project may have been given by a developer from Heroine Virtual at the sourceforge forum link [sourceforge.net]. The problem looks to be one of financing the project:
With this in mind you should realize what is involved in ensuring the software you use doesn't have to be paid for. The only reason you can use any software at all is because the developers are able to pay for it through day jobs which today don't exist. The GPL requires software to be paid for by the developer before it can be released to the public.
#2 Writing large applications is an undesirable hobby for anyone not interested or able to make a career out of software.
What a dilemma. Great goddamned software, and no way to even provide a micropayment for it??? All someone would have to do is threaten to sue these guys to break their bank. I guess I'm being offtopic but I can see why they took their toys and went home.
some links (Score:1, Informative)
source code [heroinewarrior.com]
RPM/Binary [heroinewarrior.com]