 There's an awful lot of discussion taking place in Fidonet and elsewhere
 concerning compression techniques. It has proven divisive, too. Various
 bulletin board system operators have found themselves in conflict, taking
 differing stands on which compression techniques will be used for files
 stored on their systems. With this in mind, we feel it necessary to make
 some kind of statement to just let you know how we feel about this, as
 it pertains to BinkleyTerm.
 
 We prefer to use ZOO as our compression utility. It offers us many
 features which are of value to us, but not available in other such
 utilities.  We acknowledge that in certain specific areas, some other
 compression utilities may have applicability or even display clear-cut
 superiority. But ZOO doesn't have what for lack of better words we'll
 call "emotional liabilities" which programs such as ZIP and ARC now seem
 to have, like it or not. It also is widely distributed in source form
 with a very uncomplicated license agreement, much like that of
 BinkleyTerm.
 
 At the same time, we acknowledge that we have no right to dictate to any
 individual system operator that he or she must have ZOO files on his or
 her system(s). This of course leads to a serious conflict: where do the
 rights of we, the authors, end, and those of the individual system
 operator start?
 
 We feel that we have the right to refer to the ZOO distribution as "THE
 distribution". We also feel that Paragraph 1 of the license agreement
 (contained in the file LICENSE.210) should hold, specifically the
 sentence that begins "You may copy and distribute VERBATIM copies of
 BinkleyTerm source and executable code AS YOU RECEIVE IT" (emphasis
 ours). However, under the terms of the license agreement, you may
 distribute other versions, as long as they are clearly identified as
 such.
 
 In the interests of harmony, we will consent to the repackaging of
 BinkleyTerm using other compression techniques, as long as this file,
 COMPRESS.TXT, remains in the distribution archive. To protect OUR
 rights, however, we must state here and now that we will not necessarily
 provide support for any version of BinkleyTerm that is so distributed,
 and we may respond to individual problem reports by referring the
 involved party or parties to the ORIGINAL distribution.
 
 In the case of BinkleyTerm 2.10, the original distribution is in files
 BEXE_210.ZOO (executables and documentation), BBIG_210.ZOO (same but
 non-overlaid) and BSRC_210.ZOO (source code).  For the updates to
 create BinkleyTerm 2.20, the files are BEXEU220.ZOO, BBIGU220.ZOO and
 BSRCU220.ZOO.  For the full BinkleyTerm 2.20 release, the files are
 BEXE_210.ZOO (executables and documentation), BBIG_210.ZOO (same but
 non-overlaid) and BSRC_210.ZOO (source code).  All are available from
 Fidonet 1:141/491, 1:104/36 and 1:132/101. We understandably can make no 
 specific guarantees about other systems, although generally speaking,
 all systems carrying files with these names are in fact offering exact 
 copies of the original. CRC's of these files and their contents will 
 be published on occasion in the Fidonet BINKLEY echomail conference 
 or can be obtained from the authors.
 
 Please understand our feelings in this matter. If you object to our
 position, then please do not distribute BinkleyTerm.
 
 Vincent E. Perriello   Robert C. Hartman      Alan D. Applegate
 FidoNet 1:141/491      FidoNet 1:132/101      FidoNet 1:104/36
 Data    (203) 729-7569 Data    (603) 888-8179 Data    (303) 778-7312
