Positive Evolution of the TGP Message Forum, Great Job!

[Jeff M]

Glad to see everyone stand tall and clear things up and get back to working together, I was very humbled. This camaraderie, sharing of respect, working together for a common goal is the main reason for message boards, and it benefit all users when people can achieve this goal, its not easy and takes a lot of patience and big shoulders to maintain, but the results are very rewarding, wow :shock: !

 

True there have been some large bouts conducted here in the past, enough to sensitive a few to go one way or the other in arms when another similar bout gets started here again, that is too bad. But now that the elaborate misleading has been nearly forgotten on the chip war a while back I can more easily explain why there was such a defensive response by so many to those chips (copy of my chip actually) that were being given away. To make it easier I will relate it to what we all can easily relate to and that is by using Windows 98 software as an example for my software changes/chip. First off and bear with this one odd part, it leads to the parts that matter, if I own W98 and were to copy and sell that copy of W98 to someone who has W98…obviously Microsoft won’t care, but if I sell it or give it to someone who does not have W98 that is a direct and illegal action. Take it one step further, if I own W98 Second Addition and sell it to someone who has Windows 98, that is illegal as well, even if the recipient has W98 it’s still illegal. IF, and here is where things get cleared up, if I were to modify W98 Second Addition (add enhancements, make corrections, whatever) and sell or give it to someone who only has W98, that is just as illegal since the recipient does NOT own a paid legal copy of W98 Second Addition in the first place. NOW, replace W98/W98 Second Addition above with my TopGun chip in it's place and it follows like this; (back up a little) I first took a GM program (TGP chip) and modified it and charged for my work/$190 (the actual price for my chip/EPROM) and $85 for a new GM TGP MEMCAL that I buy from GM to solder my chip onto ($190 + $85 = $275 cost of my TopGun Chip). SINCE the recipient buying my chip HAS a TGP Chip/MEMCAL already, no one is buying something they do not already have, they are only paying for my changes. Even if I sell my chip to a non-TGP car/conversion, I covered myself by already buying an original TGP GM MEMCAL from GM, I am safe. BUT, and this is what got so many people including myself in an uproar along with the fact the board/moderators did not stop this from being discussed/verbally released; when someone who not only did not buy my TopGun chip gets a copy and makes some changes then gives it away (or even sells it), that is illegal and totally disrespectful for all my efforts (and to others who paid me for the performance/driveability fixes of a TopGun chip). Just like selling W98 Second Addition with some tweaks/fixes to someone who does not have W98 Second Addition in the first place, that is still giving away for free (or selling) a program that is not owned by the recipient, that is illegal/against the law (for obvious reasons). The honest and proper way to sell a custom version of my chip is to already own/have paid for one, then get someone for free or, pay someone to make the changes (5 speed, T4 turbo etc), that makes sense and is legal as well, and is the only way it should be done :!:

 

I believe others here on the board (and quite a few who have never came back, maybe this is why) who have great ideas or products but are hesitant to release or disclose their ideas/products for fear they will be revealed and hacked or copied and distributed through this message board, that is really too bad (putting it mildly!) and contrary to the first paragraph I started off with and that is all of us should only be here to show respect and help each other, and it looks like we are finally getting there now 8) .

 

Thanks for listening.

 

Jeff M

[Chris A]

[Slade901]

hmmm

[1badtgp]

I second Jeff on this one.