Zugg Software :: View topic - Zugg and supporting breakers of diku license...

Apprentice Joined: 16 Dec 2002 Posts: 114 Location: USA

You know, its been a while since ive visited the site, but i just now came back and noticed something I had never noticed before. I am sure most of us by now know all about medthevia, the mud that breaks diku license willfully. What I find shocking is that Zugg himself supports that theft. How can I say this you ask?
http://zuggsoft.com/zmud/zmudinfo.htm
click on that link, and look at char.gif, you will see zugg on medthievia. Yet he has a problem with people that crack his program. Double standards anyone?

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|Demone YoungBlood|
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GURU Joined: 15 Jun 2001 Posts: 654 Location: USA

I really don't know anything about Medievia other than the fact that it's apparently fairly popular (researching it a bit, Kyndig.com says it has 400+ average players online). So I don't know all the facts in this issue here and therefore haven't formed a personal opinion on it.

I do know that Zugg works very hard to make sure zMUD functions well on the more popular MUDs (and does an admirable job with the less popular when they are brought to his attention). So in the normal course of programming, Zugg will test on many MUDs, including Medievia.

To take a stance on this issue either for or against Medievia might theoretically set a precedent that could require an investigation of a MUD and Zugg conferring with a lawyer before any testing could be performed against it which would be quite counterproductive. If the issue is just the inclusion as an image, then this may not be a problem (but don't listen to me, I'm not a lawyer).

I believe it is clear that Zugg has not explicitly expressed a view either way on this issue. So your assertion is that he is implicitly supporting Medievia.

My thoughts are that there are several possible effects of this image:
1. For someone who plays Medievia, it shows that zMUD has been tested there
2. For someone who plays multiple MUDs and is ambivalent (or ignorant) about Medievia, it shows zMUD's capabilities in regards to keeping track of multiple MUDs
3. For someone openly hostile to Medievia, it may come as an affront.

To the person with reaction number 3, I would say that it is pretty clear that there is no malicious intent on the part of Zuggsoft towards DIKU or even taking a stance on this issue. In other words, the image is innocuous and that using it to assert that Zuggsoft supports Medievia, even though it "breaks diku license willfully" is blowing things out of proportion.

However, you are entitled to your opinion.

I just don't see Zuggsoft taking a stance on this issue, though (mind you, I do not represent Zuggsoft).

- Charbal

GURU Joined: 10 Oct 2000 Posts: 4379 Location: USA

*takes out his flame protection equipment*

Everyone is entitled to an opinion, and this one is no exception, so the post is valid as an opinion. Do know that you are basically asking for trouble by posting this in here. I cannot control what other people reply to this.

However, I will be monitoring this thread very closely. If it gets out of hand, it will be locked, so lets try to keep this discussion (on both sides) calm and civil.

Finally, I do want to point out, that although I don't speak for Zugg, I for one was not aware of any such issue with Medievia. Likewise, if there is such an issue, it may be possible that Zugg doesn't know about it too.

For now, I'll go do some reasearch. Although some links, if you have them, would be much appreciated.

Kjata

Beginner Joined: 16 Jan 2002 Posts: 12

The Medievia License thing is a longstanding issue within the mud community which flares up fairly periodically. For some links, try Kavir's page at http://520006811875-0001.bei.t-online.de/med.html or searching through old usenet posts like http://groups.google.com/groups?q=kavir+medievia&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en

GURU Joined: 24 Sep 2000 Posts: 1237 Location: USA

No good can come of this.

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