-= APCi Trademark Bullshit...
Adam Williamson
> Greetings, and welcome back to this week's flame war titled, "NOTICE: 'Game
> Server' Trademark"...I'm glad you all could attend. However, it's with
> absolutely no regret that the leading role who started this moronic,
> off-topic flame-frenzy (playing the part of mpgs...@apci.net) is no
> longer able to continue here due to his impending departure from our
> company over mutually agreed-upon "creative differences."
Heeheeeheeeheeeeheeeeheeee...ROTFLMAO!
>
> Now, while I have your brief attention, I'd like to put an end to this
> bullshit (for lack of a more appropriate term) and set the record
> straight for whom it may concern.
>
> 1) While APCi has indeed used "game server" and "multiplayer game
> server" to refer to its product publicly (which is, by the way, the
> only way to initiate and establish a trade and/or service mark), please
> note that the only applied-for and registered marks are "APCi MultiPlayer
> Game Server" and "APCi MultiPlayer Game Client." It's fairly standard
> procedure in this industry. It's not "strong-arm tactics" or
> "censorship" of any sort, and it doesn't mean anything to anyone unless
> they license the product (and use of the mark) or attempt to use it
> illegally.
Yeah, we don't mind the TM of APCi MultiPlayer Game Server and friends at
all. It was Game Server that we didn't like.
Thanx for setting the record straight, and that was the funniest post this
week!
--
---
Adam Williamson, D1M - ad...@scss.demon.co.uk
Terminal Velocity and Wolfenstein 3D FAQ writer
for more details on either FAQ, e-mail me
"There's nothing left for you to say,
soon you'll be dead anyway" - Green Day
Kevin Sawyer
Server' Trademark"...I'm glad you all could attend. However, it's with
absolutely no regret that the leading role who started this moronic,
off-topic flame-frenzy (playing the part of mpgs...@apci.net) is no
longer able to continue here due to his impending departure from our
company over mutually agreed-upon "creative differences."
Now, while I have your brief attention, I'd like to put an end to this
bullshit (for lack of a more appropriate term) and set the record
straight for whom it may concern.
1) While APCi has indeed used "game server" and "multiplayer game
server" to refer to its product publicly (which is, by the way, the
only way to initiate and establish a trade and/or service mark), please
note that the only applied-for and registered marks are "APCi MultiPlayer
Game Server" and "APCi MultiPlayer Game Client." It's fairly standard
procedure in this industry. It's not "strong-arm tactics" or
"censorship" of any sort, and it doesn't mean anything to anyone unless
they license the product (and use of the mark) or attempt to use it
illegally.
Now, while I'm one of the people here who chose the name for our product,
I personally happen to think it's a little lame. You see, file servers
serve files...news servers serve news...print servers serve print
jobs...terminal servers serve --you guessed it-- terminals...however
(this is where the logic fails) game servers serve...well...nothing!
One does not obtain games from a game server. If one were to follow in
the traditional "server" sense, a "game server" might be nothing more
than a file server which specializes in games. I guess that would mean
that my favorite "game server" is Software Creations BBS!
The present breed of "game servers" --including our product-- do nothing
more than route network data over a serial transport. Sound familiar? All
we've written is a high-speed terminal server with specialized routing
protocols!
2) The APCi MultiPlayer Game Server software and documentation are the
copyrighted (that's copy-right-ed...not copy-write-d) property of APCi.
Again, this is standard procedure in the industry.
3) The purpose of the APCi MultiPlayer Game Server is to provide a
BBS-independent and relatively cost-effective way for people to dial-up
and form a wide area network for virtual reality gaming (or to kick the
shit out of each other, as the case may be and usually is).
Here's a little history so you understand where we're coming from:
(your screen get's wavey for a moment then changes to black and white)
Prior to being famous --or infamous-- for the APCiMPGS, APCi was (and
still is) a consulting, custom systems, networking, and software
development corporation. Needless to say, we were --and still are-- DOOM
junkies from version 0.9 or something like that. We wrote the MPGS as an
add-on for our own BBS just for the Hell of it. We were originally going
to write it as a module for Galacticomm's Major BBS. We decided to first
write it on a stand-alone system, then port it if it even worked.
We first played over our "server" with null modem cables. Then, we
connected it to our Major BBS using Galacticomm's standard serial door
features. In this configuration, all gaming data had to pass through
the BBS to get to the "server" then back through the BBS to get to the
players. We quickly noticed that every time another BBS user did
anything that caused hard disk activity, the game got slow and choppy.
This was with 8 nodes running on a 486DX2/66. That's when we decided
that the Major BBS was not an ideal environment for high-speed,
low-latency network gaming. Plus, we weren't sure if we were going to
keep using the Major BBS, so we decided to leave it BBS-independent.
In July of 1994, people started bugging us to license it. We were really
busy with other programming contracts at the time, so we didn't really
have time to do anything commercial with it until about September. We
originally planned to release it in October, but we were still busy with
some government contracts. Plus, we designed the "PassThru" method which
allows the MPGS to exist between external modems and any BBS so that the
BBS could not be a bottleneck. This took several weeks to code and test.
At any rate, we released in mid-December. In mid-february, we released
the Heretic client. In march, we completed our first Descent client, but
since it looked exactly like Descent (menuing, fonts, etc.), we decided
not to release it and piss off Interplay or Parallax (however, don't be
surprised if a copy of it lands in the public domain somewhere). We also
thought it was lame to have a different client for each game. So, we
started designing and coding a generic client which supports virtually
every network game ever released. (We're currently in the final testing
stages with this client -- as id Software says "Don't ask! It'll be done
when it's done!")
(your screen gets wavey again for a moment then returns to normal colors)
Anyway, now we're licensing the MPGS all over the world, and we've also
started an internetworking services division (APCiNet). We continue to
give toll free technical support to our users and licensees throughout
the US and Canada (1-800-535-APCi), as well as the support we now provide
via the internet (email, talk, etc.).
4) Our primary interest (other than being able to eat) is in multiplayer
virtual reality gaming and its integration with online/internetworking
technology. Hell, we may even write a game here someday, who knows!
5) We're NOT interested in being bigger than life. We're also NOT
interested in pissing people off (unless it's in a good deathmatch).
We're NOT stressed about competition. IMHO, this is a growing market
with ample room for competition, and competition will only result in
better products and better prices for everyone. This is good.
So, if you were offended by our admittedly offensive and obnoxious post by
our (ex-) public relations guy, we're both sorry and embarrassed as
Hell. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to call me
personally at one of the numbers below or leave me email. Unfortunately,
I really don't have time to monitor a.g.d or r.g.c.d.*, so if you want my
attention, please put it in email (saw...@apci.net).
Any future posts from mpgs...@apci.net will be written by myself or
Scott Duensing, or maybe even Chris Williamson or Paul Schwartz, and every
post will have the real name of the author at the bottom just before the sig.
If it would make you feel any better to get a piece of me (or someone
else here) in a good deathmatch, just email me the time and place and
you've got a match. If you want to go H2H, it's on my nickel. Oh, and
if you have a "wish list" for our next client, you'd better hurry and
email it in. If you're a Hell-bent flamer who thinks this is just some
suck-up propaganda, give it a rest. So what if it is? Let's play DOOM!
Thanks in advance for your flames,
Kevin J. Sawyer
President/CEO/Blametaker/Janitor
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Applied Personal Computing, Inc. Home of the APCi MultiPlayer Game Server
Voice: 618.632.7282 / 800.535.APCi FAX: 618.632.7287 BBS: 618.628.APCi
telnet://bbs.apci.net ftp://ftp.apci.net http://www.apci.net
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kevin Sawyer
: In article <408uh5$2...@hilly.apci.net>, Kevin Sawyer <saw...@apci.net> wrote:
: >1) While APCi has indeed used "game server" and "multiplayer game
: >server" to refer to its product publicly (which is, by the way, the
: >only way to initiate and establish a trade and/or service mark), please
: >note that the only applied-for and registered marks are "APCi MultiPlayer
: >Game Server" and "APCi MultiPlayer Game Client." It's fairly standard
: The ENTIRE rest of the post, while interesting, has nothing to do with
: what started this whole thing. This here says it all. They have NOT
: trademarked the generic terms game server or multiplayer game server,
: they only trademarked the APCi part. So HOORAY!!! APCi is not a bunch
: of self-serving assholes like we thought!!! Now I think we all should
: give a big apology to APCi (hahaha just kidding :)
Hi Phil, and thanks. WE'RE the ones that owe the apology here (although
a few of you were a little over-assumptive). We may be assholes, but not
self-serving....hehehe....naw, we just love DOOM (and Heretic, Descent,
Terminal Velocity,....well, games).
Kevin Sawyer
President/CEO
Phil Epstein
>1) While APCi has indeed used "game server" and "multiplayer game
>server" to refer to its product publicly (which is, by the way, the
>only way to initiate and establish a trade and/or service mark), please
>note that the only applied-for and registered marks are "APCi MultiPlayer
>Game Server" and "APCi MultiPlayer Game Client." It's fairly standard
The ENTIRE rest of the post, while interesting, has nothing to do with
what started this whole thing. This here says it all. They have NOT
trademarked the generic terms game server or multiplayer game server,
they only trademarked the APCi part. So HOORAY!!! APCi is not a bunch
of self-serving assholes like we thought!!! Now I think we all should
give a big apology to APCi (hahaha just kidding :)
Phil Epstein
Scott Smith
>Greetings, and welcome back to this week's flame war titled, "NOTICE: 'Game
>Server' Trademark"...I'm glad you all could attend. However, it's with
>absolutely no regret that the leading role who started this moronic,
>off-topic flame-frenzy (playing the part of mpgs...@apci.net) is no
>longer able to continue here due to his impending departure from our
>company over mutually agreed-upon "creative differences."
>[...]
Aww hell! Now what are we supposed to do!? This was supposed to drag
out for weeks until the next flame war began. Great... just stinkin'
great! <g>
Scott A. Smith - sc...@gate.net
-=( Scott's DOOM Pages )=-
*-------------------------=*=----------------------------*
| Preview some of today's | http://www.webcom.com/~deth |
* HOTTEST DOOM2 DeathMatch *-----------------------------*
| Levels! | de...@webcom.com |
*-------------------------=*=----------------------------*
Eric Schreiber
>From: saw...@apci.net (Kevin Sawyer)
>Subject: -= APCi Trademark Bullshit...
>Date: 9 Aug 1995 00:12:21 GMT
>the leading role who started this moronic,
>off-topic flame-frenzy (playing the part of mpgs...@apci.net) is no
>longer able to continue here due to his impending departure from our
>company over mutually agreed-upon "creative differences."
It's good to be the king.
>1) While APCi has indeed used "game server" and "multiplayer game
>server" to refer to its product publicly (which is, by the way, the
>only way to initiate and establish a trade and/or service mark), please
>note that the only applied-for and registered marks are "APCi MultiPlayer
>Game Server" and "APCi MultiPlayer Game Client."
Damn. The whole reason I started reading this newsgroup was because someone
mentioned this thread to me, and it sounded like fun. Now what am I supposed
to do with my spare time? Go back and get a life?
Anyhow, thanks for clearing the smoke. It's nice to know that common sense
and good business practices were employed at APCi, along with one pinhead.
Best regards
EEAS
Raphael Quinet
[...]
|> 1) While APCi has indeed used "game server" and "multiplayer game
|> server" to refer to its product publicly (which is, by the way, the
|> only way to initiate and establish a trade and/or service mark), please
|> note that the only applied-for and registered marks are "APCi MultiPlayer
|> Game Server" and "APCi MultiPlayer Game Client." It's fairly standard
|> procedure in this industry. It's not "strong-arm tactics" or
|> "censorship" of any sort, and it doesn't mean anything to anyone unless
|> they license the product (and use of the mark) or attempt to use it
|> illegally.
|>
Multiplayer Game Server" is perfectly normal. Most people on this thread
were arguing about the alledged trademark on "game server" only, which
was indeed ridiculous.
|> Now, while I'm one of the people here who chose the name for our product,
|> I personally happen to think it's a little lame. You see, file servers
|> serve files...news servers serve news...print servers serve print
|> jobs...terminal servers serve --you guessed it-- terminals...however
|> (this is where the logic fails) game servers serve...well...nothing!
|> One does not obtain games from a game server. If one were to follow in
|> the traditional "server" sense, a "game server" might be nothing more
|> than a file server which specializes in games. I guess that would mean
|> that my favorite "game server" is Software Creations BBS!
|>
Well, let me add my pinch of salt here: the name "game server" has been
around for longer than you think. UNIX users who are running X Window
games such as XPilot or Crossfire have been using the names "game server",
"XPilot server" or "CrossFire server" for several years now.
By the way, your logic is not totally correct: these game servers do serve
games. Not the software, as you seem to assume, but the game itself. They
could as well be called "action servers" or "fun servers".
[...]
|> So, if you were offended by our admittedly offensive and obnoxious post by
|> our (ex-) public relations guy, we're both sorry and embarrassed as
|> Hell. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to call me
[...]
I'm really glad that someone from APCi took the time to clarify the
situation and kick out the guy who started the trouble. I hope that we
will all go back to Doom and (why not?) to APCi. :-)
-Raphael
--
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| WWW: http://www.montefiore.ulg.ac.be/~quinet (NEW: Updated DOOM page) |
| E-mail: Raphael...@eed.ericsson.se or qui...@montefiore.ulg.ac.be |
| S-mail: Raphael Quinet, 9 rue des Martyrs, 4550 Nandrin (Belgium) |
| --* Read rec.games.computer.doom.editing for info and help about DEU. *-- |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
The Bishop of Battle
>Hi Phil, and thanks. WE'RE the ones that owe the apology here (although
>a few of you were a little over-assumptive). We may be assholes, but not
>self-serving....hehehe....naw, we just love DOOM (and Heretic, Descent,
>Terminal Velocity,....well, games).
>Kevin Sawyer
>President/CEO
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Applied Personal Computing, Inc. Home of the APCi MultiPlayer Game Server
> Voice: 618.632.7282 / 800.535.APCi FAX: 618.632.7287 BBS: 618.628.APCi
> telnet://bbs.apci.net ftp://ftp.apci.net http://www.apci.net
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
I would also like to add a hearty Homer Simpson, "WHOHOO!!!"
It was great to find out that APCi isn't really the faceless
corportate assholes they were beginning to look like they were!
I received a personal letter from Kevin, explaining the whole mess
and then (as you see here) he posted a public explanation/apology.
This goes a long way toward making up for the whole nasty situation,
and kinda puts egg on my face for my comments (even if they were
perfectly understandable).
Good Job, APCi!!!
The Bishop of Battle
bis...@primenet.com
Cerberus
>In article <408uh5$2...@hilly.apci.net>, Kevin Sawyer <saw...@apci.net> wrote:
>
>>server" to refer to its product publicly (which is, by the way, the
>>only way to initiate and establish a trade and/or service mark), please
>>note that the only applied-for and registered marks are "APCi MultiPlayer
>>Game Server" and "APCi MultiPlayer Game Client." It's fairly standard
>
>what started this whole thing. This here says it all. They have NOT
>trademarked the generic terms game server or multiplayer game server,
>they only trademarked the APCi part. So HOORAY!!! APCi is not a bunch
>of self-serving assholes like we thought!!! Now I think we all should
>give a big apology to APCi (hahaha just kidding :)
>
>Phil Epstein
>
Game Server"..is there name...absolutly no mention of "game server" being
there property....thank god....let's get on with life and rack up some
frags....
-= Cerberus =-
Deird'Re M. Brooks
>Damn. The whole reason I started reading this newsgroup was because someone
>mentioned this thread to me, and it sounded like fun. Now what am I supposed
>to do with my spare time? Go back and get a life?
Well, I'd direct you to rec.games.frp.misc and the trademark/copyright
argument over whether or not TSR files can or should be posted to the
net, and if so, are they really violations of TSR's copyrights to post
player-created stuff... (maybe someone should direct TSR sales people to
iD's policy regarding pwads...), but I think that flame war is over too.
>Anyhow, thanks for clearing the smoke. It's nice to know that common sense
>and good business practices were employed at APCi, along with one pinhead.
That is what I was expecting...and the gist of my message. "APCi Game
Server makes sense...Just Game Server alone...no."
>Best regards
>EEAS
Deird'Re
Kevin Sawyer
: My apologies for anything that was said in the heat of the moment
: about your software or company. At the time I thought I was talking
: about a _different_ company.
: And I _will_ take you up on that deathmatch offer!
: I guess now we will all have to go back to beating on Merlock. :D
Yeah...get that bastard! hehehe He kicked my ass one night... :O
Kevin
Deleos
>Greetings, and welcome back to this week's flame war titled, "NOTICE: 'Game
>Server' Trademark"...I'm glad you all could attend. However, it's with
>absolutely no regret that the leading role who started this moronic,
>off-topic flame-frenzy (playing the part of mpgs...@apci.net) is no
>longer able to continue here due to his impending departure from our
>company over mutually agreed-upon "creative differences."
>Now, while I have your brief attention, I'd like to put an end to this
>bullshit (for lack of a more appropriate term) and set the record
>straight for whom it may concern.
>Thanks in advance for your flames,
>(snip)
No flames from me anymore! ;)
Thanks for setting the record straight Kevin... I got a call earlier
tonight after someone saw your post--we are all very relieved.
In just a short time you have restored my faith in humanity. :)
APCi sounds like a great company. It's too bad that someone like THAT
got "loose" and was able to post those messages. It's obvious after
reading your post that your company does not bear any resemblance to
the evil tyrants we once thought you were only a few short days ago.
My apologies for anything that was said in the heat of the moment
about your software or company. At the time I thought I was talking
about a _different_ company.
And I _will_ take you up on that deathmatch offer!
I guess now we will all have to go back to beating on Merlock. :D
--deleos
john_a...@ml.com
In article <erics.1....@interaccess.com>, <er...@interaccess.com> writes:
> Xref: commpost rec.games.computer.doom.playing:2657 alt.games.doom:60458
> Path:
commpost!uupsi!psinntp!psinntp!pipeline!newsjunkie.ans.net!interaccess!d133.nb.
interaccess.com!erics
> From: er...@interaccess.com (Eric Schreiber)
> Newsgroups: rec.games.computer.doom.playing,alt.games.doom
> Subject: Re: -= APCi Trademark Bullshit...
> Date: Wed, 9 Aug 1995 08:19:31 -0600
> Organization: InterAccess,Chicagoland's Full Service Internet Provider
> Lines: 28
> Message-ID: <erics.1....@interaccess.com>
> References: <408uh5$2...@hilly.apci.net>
> NNTP-Posting-Host: d133.nb.interaccess.com
> Keywords: APCi,Trademark,Game Server,Bullshit
> X-Newsreader: Trumpet for Windows [Version 1.0 Rev B final beta #4]
>
> In article <408uh5$2...@hilly.apci.net> saw...@apci.net (Kevin Sawyer)
writes:
> >From: saw...@apci.net (Kevin Sawyer)
> >Subject: -= APCi Trademark Bullshit...
> >Date: 9 Aug 1995 00:12:21 GMT
>
> >off-topic flame-frenzy (playing the part of mpgs...@apci.net) is no
> >longer able to continue here due to his impending departure from our
> >company over mutually agreed-upon "creative differences."
>
>
> >server" to refer to its product publicly (which is, by the way, the
> >only way to initiate and establish a trade and/or service mark), please
> >note that the only applied-for and registered marks are "APCi MultiPlayer
> >Game Server" and "APCi MultiPlayer Game Client."
>
> mentioned this thread to me, and it sounded like fun. Now what am I supposed
> to do with my spare time? Go back and get a life?
>
> and good business practices were employed at APCi, along with one pinhead.
>
> EEAS
>
Wayhigh
[SNIP]
>>
>> Anyhow, thanks for clearing the smoke. It's nice to know that common sense
>> and good business practices were employed at APCi, along with one pinhead.
>>
>> Best regards
>> EEAS
>>
OK ok.. I just can't resist this one.. imagine me getting into this
newsgroup after so long and suddenly coming across scathing posts
about this whole "game server" thing.
Right now I'm sure that Kevin Sawyer will be groaning or something
*laugh* but seriously tho.. I thought there'd been more than one
pinhead at APCi. Perhaps you meant one at a time.
To those that are confused I used to be an employee at APCi but due to
personal reasons and Kevin Sawyers good business practices he "let me
go" which he still insists was not firing me, it doesn't matter
really, I'm just grateful he had the foresight to send me back home to
WA state where I belonged.
Now then.. I could be the culprit that started this whole flame but I
seriously doubt it since I've been back in WA state since May 17th
'95. I will admit tho.. I do flame Dwango(slow?).. and umm.. umm..
that other one.. the game contraption or whatever it is.. *laugh* when
I get the chance. Not because I dislike any of the people from those
respective companies but because their connection quality seems to be
poor and the frames during games seems to be skippy.
As for Kevin S.'s business practices and his personal policies towards
other people I give him a major thumbs up. I don't expect him to be
polite all the time.. I'd be rather irritated if he were actually as
the posts that I've seen on this group warranted his actions.
To those that flamed him.. take a chill man.. get a life or get off
the net.
Anyhow.. I'm outa here..
way...@tacoma.net
Kevin Lynn
Ex-APCi employee extraordinairre..