Posted By
Csabo
on 2003-01-19
|  Re: Cracks
You raise a lot of good points. However, I think we have two separate issues here related to cracks.
First of all let me state, that I'm not fond of cracks. However, we have them, they exist. Even I did them (they didn't spread that much, but there's even one in the D64 Recall disks  ) It's part of the C16/Plus4 history.
1) There are old, already existing cracked versions of software. Example: Bandits+++. I love the original too, but Dan sent me his version. His "work" on the plussy is mostly cracked/trained games. Same goes for tons of TTC programs. Those guys releases "+++" versions of lots of games.
- Should we ignore the fact that those existed?
- Should we just delete all those files?
- Should we keep and catalog those files with the original versions?
I think all of those are bad choices. We should acknowledge those files, but clearly mark them as cracks (this is already done in most cases). I want to take this even one step further: introduce that first field I was talking about, so if you see a record that is NOT an original, you will get a link to the original.
2) Then there are "new" cracks. E.g if you "cracked" a game, and saved it. If you didn't modify it, it's just as good as the original. We don't need to link somebody's name there to show who "cracked" it. (By the way, even those "suck". A true researcher/archiver would only deal with perfect original images, that is TAPs or D64 images.)
The fact that I was the one who found out how to fix Oblido (in my opinion) is completely irrelevant, no-one cares. The point is the fact, that by changing that byte the program works as expected. If I released an "Oblido +", and changed the original, well, that would be a separate release with a different year/person/distribution, etc. But I won't.
I too, am more interested in finding out the original creators of games. Don't forget how many times you and I looked for Udo I would love to know who wrote Oblido, for example. (My guess is Vakis Paraskeva, but there is no way to confirm that.)
All I'm saying is we *have* those old cracks. I'm not defending them. It's just that we have to deal with them too. No?
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