From:	"Tim Bird" <tbird AT caldera DOT com>
Message-Id:	<9705161052.ZM16084@caldera.com>
Date:	Fri, 16 May 1997 10:52:50 -0600
In-Reply-To:	shearer@pluto.njcc.com
	"Caldera's distro of DOD701..." (May 15, 9:08pm)
References:	<337BB39C DOT 1FCC AT pluto DOT njcc DOT com>
To:	opendos AT delorie DOT com
Subject:	Re: Caldera's distro of DOD701...
Mime-Version:	1.0

shearer AT pluto DOT njcc DOT com wrote:
> would anyone know the reason for Caldera's choice in implementing
> PKware encryption on its previously unencrypted OpenDOS release?
> I find this decision somewhat irksome and rather pointless.
> also, though the source has now been released, PNWTUTOR is now gone.
> what might the rationale be for these changes?
> I hesitate to ask Caldera directly.

Well don't hesitate to ask Caldera - we're not offended by questions
and most of the time the answer is not as bad as you might think.
(Well, this one might be the exception.)

For purely marketing reasons, Caldera initially wanted all downloads to
occur from their ftp site (so marketing could force people to fill out
that dumb form (which, I apologize for, I created) so they could
gauge interest in various market segments).  Unfortunately, our tiny
T1 was not up to the demand, and this plan somewhat backfired.  Now,
their idea is to encrypt the packages with a password, and require
that people fill out the form to get the password.  This allows the
packages to be served from other sites (which is now allowed), but
marketing can still get their information.  I don't mind marketing
wanting this information, but this appears to be a lame way to get it.

Some of us told them that the passwords would be posted almost immediately
whereever the packages were available (allowing people to bypass the
form).  Also, having the binary package encrypted would certainly reduce
the amount of sites interested in putting the package on their ftp site.
I honestly don't know how the new system is working (but I suspect not
too well).  I'm not aware of other sites carrying the packages, and
the form still annoys people (I think).

Caldera is working on relocating our server next to a VERY fat pipe
(possibly a 100Mbit connection straight to one of the Internet backbones),
which should solve any bandwidth problems (on our end).  Hopefully this
will solve some of the problems people have had getting the software.
But it still leaves the irksome password system in place.

Tim Bird

P.S. Send complaints about this to caldera-opendos AT caldera DOT com (but don't
tell them I told you to do this :^)

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