Sydex.txt, last updated Nov 28 2005 - Herb Johnson, Charles Guzis

Summary: Charles Guzis contacted me on Nov 24 2005; his email is quoted below, with his permission. He says that Gaby Chaudry was "not allowed" to distribute registered copies of former Sydex products or disk format files which were sold to NTI. But distribution of EVALUATION versions (his emphasis) was not prohibited. Sydex can't sell AnaDisk, TeleDisk or CopyQM, but they continue to support previous registered users. However, Sydex has some new products that are available. Additionally, NTI's stake in the former Sydex products is now "spun off" to Breakwater Technology of Seattle WA. 

See my Web link below:

http://retrotechnology.com/herbs_stuff/s_point.html#sydex

for the context of these comments, or to contact me, or to reference the Web sites mentioned. - Herb Johnson  

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From: Charles (Chuck) Guzis
Subject: TeleDisk/AnaDisk/22Disk products
Date: 11/24/05

Dear Herb,

Allow me to set the record straight on the above items, particularly as they relate to Sydex, as I'm the author of all three (and quite a few other products).

Since 1989, AnaDisk and a special version with enhanced search capabilities, ViewDisk were sold by us to law enforcement communities along with several other special-purpose tools.  Indeed, these law-enforcement sales comprised the bulk of our sales for these products.  When Sydex sold its forensics product line to NTI in 1999, AnaDisk and TeleDisk, along with CopyQM were part of the sale.

NTI (or New Technologies Incorporated) was then a division of Armor Holdings, the same people who bulletproof Humvees for the military.  Armor has since then spun off much of NTI to Breakwater Technology of Seattle.  

Needless to say, we can't sell copies of AnaDisk, TeleDisk or CopyQM as they're not ours to sell.  However, we will continue to support registered users of these products; this was a condition of the sale.  This support includes providing free updates.

To make things perfectly clear, we do not (nor does to the best of our knowledge, NTI) prohibit continued distribution of the EVALUATION versions of these products.  One can't put the toothpaste back into the tube and we don't try.

However, the evaluation version of 22Disk involves the definition for 150 or so different formats.  Ms. Chaudry was distributing the 500+ CP/M definition file available only to those users who have paid for a registered copy.  This could not be allowed to continue for obvious reasons.  Similarly, her copies of TeleDisk and AnaDisk were determined to be registered copies and NTI Armor doubtless had a problem with that.

If an individual or group of individuals wishes to work up their own definition file for 22Disk, we applaud their efforts.  Indeed, we provide the tools necessary for creation of such a file.  

A position that seems to be pervading some online communities is the labeling of some piece of software as "abandonware" and distributing it for free on the web.  I should mention that there is no legal basis in this in copyright or any other law and individuals following this practice do so at their own peril.  Currently, duration of copyright in the United States is 95 years.

We're still here.  We even have a version of 22Disk for Windows XP and still market it commercially.  A version is planned for Microsoft Windows Vista, due to be released next year.

However, the twilight of diskette-based PC products is in view.  Many new PCs cannot support more than one conventional diskette drive; USB drives appear to recognize only the standard Microsoft formats.  I've read a review of a new PC in my own newspaper that refers to the inclusion of a floppy drive as "quaint".

Well, nothing's forever, I suppose.

Sincerely,
Charles (Chuck) Guzis
President
Sydex, Inc.
Eugene, OR 97405
WWW:    http://www.sydex.com