I have the exact same type of system (t some extent) If a player wants to buy a house itll cost 'em a few thousdand coins ect ect... hrumm.. it was funnier in my head maybe it shouldda stayed there. --LordKaT ----- Original Message ----- From: "Daniel A. Koepke" <dkoepke@CALIFORNIA.COM> To: <CIRCLE@post.queensu.ca> Sent: Sunday, January 02, 2000 1:05 AM Subject: Re: [CIRCLE] License Violation > Just an update: > > Mudgik is owned and operated by Goldenline, Ltd. of Gibraltar. They are > using CircleMUD to some extent -- at least the help files, most likely the > code as well. They do not have the credits as required by the DikuMUD or > CircleMUD licenses. I could not get in contact with any sufficiently > knowledgeable or powerful immortal online. From their "Premium Membership > Page", > > Buy House $40.00 [ ] > Buy Clan Hall $45.00 [ ] > Buy Guild House (Must have clan hall first) $80.00 [ ] > Buy Special Coding to plug in to game $40 hour [ ] > Buy Custom Item (Special) > > ITEM ______________ > Buy Orrins $1 for 100 QTY ______________ > NOTE: Please add $5 for exchange rate and Credit Card surcharge cost. > > on their web site, http://www.gibnet.gi/~rondu/. (BTW, their web site is > very poorly designed; almost impossible to read with Lynx, makes > gratuituous use of Java in Netscape, has low-res graphics blown up way too > large, etc., etc.; if anyone's looking for an example of how NOT TO design > a professional looking and useful site, this is it. It took me well over > an hour to locate the contact information, which was, oddly enough, on the > Links page.) > > The Mud itself is not hosted on a Goldenline, Ltd. computer system (which > makes it more likely, to me, that they just invented Goldenline), but on > Mercia.net. As it turns out, Mercia Internet, Ltd. is owned by Chris Hale > of the United Kingdom. Thus, the Mud is physically housed in the UK. The > relevant whois information from Network Solutions for mercia.net is: > > Mercia Internet Ltd (MERCIA2-DOM) > 6a Bolebridge Street > Tamworth, B79 7PA > UK > > Administrative Contact: > Hale, Chris (CH1255) chris@MERCIA.NET > 01827 69166 (FAX) 018277 61566 > > Let me reiterate that Chris is NOT (to my knowledge) directly affiliated > with Goldenline, Ltd. or Mudgik: The Gathering, and may not even be aware > of what Mudgik is or that it's operating illegally. > > From my time online, I tracked down the e-mail addresses of Sylvian and > Mek, who are apparently the administrators of the game. Sylvian, oddly > enough, is from Australia (or, at least, has an e-mail box in Australia). > He's kilbey@aljan.com.au. Mek, who I couldn't find an actual e-mail > address for, might read rondu@gibnet.gi, which was the only e-mail contact > I could find on their web site. > > Sylvian and Mek should be, by now, already aware that I was about looking > for them on the Mud concerning license violations. I spoke with one of > the immortals, Menorah, but, though nice and understanding, she was of > little actual help. Since I doubt they'll contact us or make a change > without a lot of prompting, the ball (I assume) is still in our hands. So > my strategy: > > * Contact Sylvian and Mek. Attempt to talk to them and convince them > to obey with the license. Be nice, but make it clear that this is > a serious matter and we will pursue it. > > * Should the above fail, contact Chris Hale of Mercia Internet, Ltd. > and inform him that he is housing an illegal service. I can't > imagine that he'd not take action, but... > > * Contact Wizards of the Coast and see how much they like the blatant > copying of Magic: The Gathering that's going on. > > * If all of the above fails, we'll need a lawyer to get a cease and > desist to shutdown the Mud and then go through the legal motions. > This is an ugly and unattractive end, and we might sooner ask for a > community-wide boycott of the Mud. > > I'll end this message with a plea for everyone to keep their cool and go > at this with a level head. There's no point in making asses out of > ourselves, here. Please, please, please restrain from sending flame mail > to Sylvian or Mek; from bothering people on the game itself; and, > especially, bothering Chris Hale. That sort of thing is NOT effective and > generally makes all parties involved agitated, frustrated, and can be > detrimental to handling this situation in a timely and smooth manner. > > -dak : dkoepke@circlemud.org > > > +------------------------------------------------------------+ > | Ensure that you have read the CircleMUD Mailing List FAQ: | > | http://qsilver.queensu.ca/~fletchra/Circle/list-faq.html | > +------------------------------------------------------------+ +------------------------------------------------------------+ | Ensure that you have read the CircleMUD Mailing List FAQ: | | http://qsilver.queensu.ca/~fletchra/Circle/list-faq.html | +------------------------------------------------------------+
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