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HP Forum Archive 18

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Crimson Research (freeware) Voyager emulators removed from iTunes App Store.
Message #1 Posted by Pal G. on 22 Dec 2008, 5:01 p.m.

Anyone have the inside scoop?


PG

      
Re: Crimson Research (freeware) Voyager emulators removed from iTunes App Store.
Message #2 Posted by Steve Simpkin on 22 Dec 2008, 7:07 p.m.,
in response to message #1 by Pal G.

There is some discussion that there may be potential copyright issues with some of the later HP calculator microcode. Perhaps this is why the free nonpareil iPhone/iPod Touch versions of HP-11C, HP-12C, HP-15C and HP-16C were pulled from the Apple App Store?

From: http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=8623385

"I've been doing a lot of reading in the various websites where work on HP calculator simulation is done, and there appear to be licensing or copyright issues with some later microcode, e.g. I see where the nonpareil distribution was being discussed as split between free and not over this. So it may well be that some kind of copyright issue arose."

This also may be why the latest Nonpareil downloads do not include the voyager emulations. From nonpareil.brouhaha.com: "23-AUG-2008: Voyager calculator models have been removed in release 0.79 due to licensing issues."

See more discussions at: http://www.hpmuseum.org/cgi-sys/cgiwrap/hpmuseum/forum.cgi?read=144411#144411

            
Re: Crimson Research (freeware) Voyager emulators removed from iTunes App Store.
Message #3 Posted by Bruce Bergman on 22 Dec 2008, 9:15 p.m.,
in response to message #2 by Steve Simpkin

Cutting through all the bull, the bottom line is that Apple wants control of the world. They're really jerks sometimes...

                  
Re: Crimson Research (freeware) Voyager emulators removed from iTunes App Store.
Message #4 Posted by DaveJ on 22 Dec 2008, 10:24 p.m.,
in response to message #3 by Bruce Bergman

Quote:
Cutting through all the bull, the bottom line is that Apple wants control of the world. They're really jerks sometimes...

Why would this have anything to do with Apple?

HP have obviously told them to pull it due to possible copyright infringement. HP didn't really care before, but now they have figured out a use for the Voyager ROM's and think they are worth something again. Expect to see a new 11C/15C on the market sometime soon.

BTW, yes I agree, Steve Jobs wants to control the world.

Dave.

                        
Re: Crimson Research (freeware) Voyager emulators removed from iTunes App Store.
Message #5 Posted by Bruce Bergman on 22 Dec 2008, 11:06 p.m.,
in response to message #4 by DaveJ

Honestly, I doubt HP even cares about the ROMs. I would be shocked (truly, shocked) if HP asked them to take it down. I suspect that Apple lawyers were just making sure they didn't have any problems, and took it as a chance to get back at their biggest competitor in the laptop space. Those ROMs, and those simulated calcs, pose no threat to HP at all. If they did, HP would be pushing their calcs far more than they are today. TI might complain (might!), but not HP.

I'm not a conspiracy theorist by any means, but some of the things Apple does are truly despicable.

BTW, I want a calc watch for Christmas, Santa. ;-)

thanks, bruce

                              
Re: Crimson Research (freeware) Voyager emulators removed from iTunes App Store.
Message #6 Posted by DaveJ on 22 Dec 2008, 11:26 p.m.,
in response to message #5 by Bruce Bergman

Quote:
Honestly, I doubt HP even cares about the ROMs. I would be shocked (truly, shocked) if HP asked them to take it down. I suspect that Apple lawyers were just making sure they didn't have any problems, and took it as a chance to get back at their biggest competitor in the laptop space. Those ROMs, and those simulated calcs, pose no threat to HP at all. If they did, HP would be pushing their calcs far more than they are today. TI might complain (might!), but not HP.

I'm sure Eric did not remove them off his own bat. HP have spoken to him or by way of contract. It's likely the same thing here.
HP are starting to use these ROM's again, it's natural for them to want to care about retaining the rights to them again.

Quote:
I'm not a conspiracy theorist by any means, but some of the things Apple does are truly despicable.

Sure, but I doubt anyone at Apple could give two hoots about some insignificant (in the scheme of things) calculator app on their Apple store unless someone has whispered in their ear...

Quote:
BTW, I want a calc watch for Christmas, Santa. ;-)

Sorry, Santa's workshop is still making the blank PCB's, and the elves have been slack and not ordered the other parts yet.

Dave.

                              
Re: Crimson Research (freeware) Voyager emulators removed from iTunes App Store.
Message #7 Posted by Steve Simpkin on 23 Dec 2008, 1:22 a.m.,
in response to message #5 by Bruce Bergman

Quote:
Honestly, I doubt HP even cares about the ROMs. I would be shocked (truly, shocked) if HP asked them to take it down. I suspect that Apple lawyers were just making sure they didn't have any problems, and took it as a chance to get back at their biggest competitor in the laptop space. Those ROMs, and those simulated calcs, pose no threat to HP at all. If they did, HP would be pushing their calcs far more than they are today. TI might complain (might!), but not HP.

Ah... No.

HP apparently did contact Eric Smith at nonpareil.brouhaha.com and ask him to remove the Voyager series from the nonpareil calculator emulator. That is why he posted the notice, "Voyager calculator models have been removed in release 0.79 due to licensing issues." on his site.

If Apple wanted to remove HP calculators from the App Store (for whatever weird strange reason that would be) they would have already pulled down all of the other HP calculators emulators that are still there.

                                    
Re: Crimson Research (freeware) Voyager emulators removed from iTunes App Store.
Message #8 Posted by Pal G. on 23 Dec 2008, 7:54 a.m.,
in response to message #7 by Steve Simpkin

So, if HP requested the (free) Crimson Research emulators be removed, why are the Thomas Fors ($20 ea.) emulators still available at the iTunes store? Are they not both based on Eric Smith's Nonpareil sources?

                                          
Re: Crimson Research (freeware) Voyager emulators removed from iTunes App Store.
Message #9 Posted by Steve Simpkin on 23 Dec 2008, 2:12 p.m.,
in response to message #8 by Pal G.

Quote:
So, if HP requested the (free) Crimson Research emulators be removed, why are the Thomas Fors ($20 ea.) emulators still available at the iTunes store? Are they not both based on Eric Smith's Nonpareil sources?

That's a very good question. Thomas Fors mentions that "The core emulation code was ported from the Mac OS X port of Nonpareil." This is the same source of the free Voyager emulators that were removed from the App Store. R.L.M. Software also sells Voyager calculator emulator (or simulator?) software in the App Store. Lots of unanswered questions.

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