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Evox Skins and Software Piracy
Disclaimer: To be explicit, I do not condone software piracy.
I intend to make a living off selling software, especially video game software.
It costs millions of dollars to produce most of the video games you play.
To think you can buy the result of that much work for only ~$20-$80 is amazing.
Reward this hard work. If you like a game, BUY IT.
Video games do not produce themselves.
Your feedback/opinion is welcome. Please contact me.
EvolutionX = Software Piracy?
The installation of a Xbox modchip allows you to install EvolutionX, also known as Evox.
(There are actually ways to install EvoX without a modchip.
I have never done it. I know it can be done. Do not email to ask how.)
Evox allows you to fully customized your Xbox.
For example, you can install media players and upload and watch videos on your Xbox.
You can even download new evox skins (wallpapers). But, is all of this legal?
"Xbox mods are not supported by Microsoft and may be illegal under the DMCA. If you mod your Xbox, you are willingly voiding the warranty and potentially breaking the law. If done improperly, modding could damage your Xbox."
- TechTV
From my understanding, the legality of modding your Xbox is a gray area.
Although it is hard to find accurate information,
it seems that the modification of a piece of equipment you buy is not illegal;
however, modifying an Xbox and/or installing the EvolutionX Dashboard (Evox) may be illegal
because it may use hardware and/or software code that is
under Microsoft's license and is protected under copyright.
On top of that, sometimes legal modifications become illegal when cash transactions are involved.
For example, perhaps installing a mod-chip, that you created,
into your Xbox is not illegal, but the production of them for commercial sale is.
Another example is that you may be allowed to 'crack' a video game you purchase;
however, it is illegal to give out the cracked game
as you do not have the rights to distribute code that is not yours.
if your 'crack' contains any of the game's original code,
then you are not allowed to distribute your 'crack'.
Potentially, only if it only contains your code,
and none of the copyright protected code of the game,
would you be permitted to distribute the 'crack'.
Even then I am not sure.
At any rate, due to the uncertainty of the legality of Xbox modding,
I do not recommend modding your Xbox.
If you do so, it is at your own risk.
As always, I recommend:
Buy the games you play.
Please contact me
if you have any legitimate information
regarding the legality of modifying your Xbox.
Xbox Live Warning
From more information I have gathered, which I am not certain of its credibility,
is that Xbox Live can detect an altered BIOS and will ban you for life if it does.
An Open Letter to Hobbyists
I completely agree with
Bill Gates' open letter to hobbyists:
AN OPEN LETTER TO HOBBYISTS
By William Henry Gates III
February 3, 1976
An Open Letter to Hobbyists
To me, the most critical thing in the hobby market right now is the lack of good software courses, books and software itself. Without good software and an owner who understands programming, a hobby computer is wasted. Will quality software be written for the hobby market?
Almost a year ago, Paul Allen and myself, expecting the hobby market to expand, hired Monte Davidoff and developed Altair BASIC. Though the initial work took only two months, the three of us have spent most of the last year documenting, improving and adding features to BASIC. Now we have 4K, 8K, EXTENDED, ROM and DISK BASIC. The value of the computer time we have used exceeds $40,000.
The feedback we have gotten from the hundreds of people who say they are using BASIC has all been positive. Two surprising things are apparent, however, 1) Most of these "users" never bought BASIC (less than 10% of all Altair owners have bought BASIC), and 2) The amount of royalties we have received from sales to hobbyists makes the time spent on Altair BASIC worth less than $2 an hour.
Why is this? As the majority of hobbyists must be aware, most of you steal your software. Hardware must be paid for, but software is something to share. Who cares if the people who worked on it get paid?
Is this fair? One thing you don't do by stealing software is get back at MITS for some problem you may have had. MITS doesn't make money selling software. The royalty paid to us, the manual, the tape and the overhead make it a break-even operation. One thing you do do is prevent good software from being written. Who can afford to do professional work for nothing? What hobbyist can put 3-man years into programming, finding all bugs, documenting his product and distribute for free? The fact is, no one besides us has invested a lot of money in hobby software. We have written 6800 BASIC, and are writing 8080 APL and 6800 APL, but there is very little incentive to make this software available to hobbyists. Most directly, the thing you do is theft.
What about the guys who re-sell Altair BASIC, aren't they making money on hobby software? Yes, but those who have been reported to us may lose in the end. They are the ones who give hobbyists a bad name, and should be kicked out of any club meeting they show up at.
I would appreciate letters from any one who wants to pay up, or has a suggestion or comment. Just write to me at 1180 Alvarado SE, #114, Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87108. Nothing would please me more than being able to hire ten programmers and deluge the hobby market with good software.
Bill Gates
General Partner, Micro-Soft
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The letter (above) was written in 1976 and set forth that software should be bought,
not stolen or freely traded.
It benefits everyone in the industry.
Links
Software Piracy Links:
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