With Fear and Trembling...

[rcallicotte]

I wouldn't bring this up, but think it might change perspectives on the Lightning / xFrog debacle.  It's important for me to bring it out in the open so that I am dealing with integrity in how to relate to everyone.  I tried to contact Lightning about this, but haven't heard back.

First, if I'm wrong about this present belief, then I owe xFrog people an apology.  I was pretty strong in my feelings, based upon what I perceived happened to Lightning.

Simply this needs to be understood - Is Lightning using xFrog's Educational software to create his masterpieces?  If so, then he is wrong to ever try to sell one or maybe even to give them away.  I'm not sure about the giving away, but selling products under a non-commercial license is unfair to the software company who created the software. 

I wrote to Lightning (now Astrian) in private, but have not heard anything in about a week. 

If Lightning is using non-commercial software in this manner, then he was breaking the law and I apologize to xFrog for taking Lightning's side against them.  I was wrong to have an attitude of defensiveness, in this case.  On the other hand, if this isn't the case, then I believe Lightning was mistreated.

[cyphyr]

I really think we should drop this.

Xfrog has their story.
Lightning has his.

Truthfully we will never know for sure what happened and much as I like to support the underdog in this instance both Lightning and Xfrog can be seen in this light.
I find it interesting that NO-ONE AT ALL responded to my followup to XFrogs initial post. What this says to me is that both XFrog and FloraWorks are not prepared to talk about this issue publicly, which is of course their right. It also tells me that most people have a very simplistic view to how these things work.

Before I launched my site I asked my host what they would do if they were contacted by lawyers representing a third party claiming copyright infringement; their answer, they would shut my site down, if I wished to make a counter claim in court that was my right but they were not going to fight my corner. Frankly why should they, I'm only paying them £50 a year.

My point in this is that there is little we can do against corporate might whether they, or we, are right or wrong.



Richard

[rcallicotte]

At this point, no response will be an admission of guilt by Lightning.

This isn't about me correcting what happened, cyphyr.  This is about giving Lightning a chance to be clear about something that I think hinges the whole incident - using Educational software to make money.  Non-commercial software is just that and I want to give Lightning the opportunity to clarify that he did not use Educational software to make his products. 

I went privately to him first and he hasn't responded.  He was willing to take his opportunity to speak last week to defend himself and it was easy for me to believe him, but when I asked him to be clear about this issue privately, I've heard nothing from him.

Now he has an opportunity to tell whether he has used Educational software to make $$.  If so, then I'll let it go and be sure to know what to do with what I bought from him.  Otherwise, I would be convinced that a lot more was going on. 

This is Lightning's opportunity to admit what he's done and for me to know what to believe.

[rcallicotte]

Lightning answered me in private, so this thread is now closed.