New Watchtower CD?

by Xander 20 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Xander

  I'm going to post another thread on this since my last attempt to hijack a thread was utterly in vain.

  Does anyone have the latest watchtower library CD? I *think* the year was '99 or '01, but I'm not 100% on that.

  If so, would it be possible to put an ISO of it on the web somewhere? (Or, if not, at least host it on your computer for a bit such that I could pick it up via ICQ or Gnutella or something?)

  Thanks for any help! The local congregation in my area is...a little unwilling...to help me get it...

  A fanatic is one who, upon losing sight of his goals, redoubles his efforts.
  --George Santayana
• 

  NeonMadman

  Hi Xander;

  Email me and I'll see if I can help with this.

  Tom
  "The truth was obscure, too profound and too pure; to live it you had to explode." ---Bob Dylan
• 

  NameWithheld

  Yea, if I could get a copy that would be great - my last CD is the 95 version which convienently doesn't run under Win98/Win2K ...
• 

  HenryP

  You should get an original copy. The CD is copyrighted, so it's against the law to copy or to place an ISO on the web.

  If it's against the law to post Ray Franzs Books online, it's against the law to post Watchtower stuff.
• 

  Xander

  Uhhh...Henry.....you *do* realize that Ray Franz's books cost money, right? So posting them on the web is stealing from the publisher/author?

  Whereas, for example, the watchtower CD is *free*, so posting it on the web is stealing from nobody.

  Ahhhh....nevermind....

  You know what, if you so worried about it, how about you go to your local kingdom hall, and order me a copy. When it comes in, go ahead and ship it to me. I'll be sure to donate to the WTBTS the exact amount the information contained in it is worth.

  Will that resolve your crisis?

  A fanatic is one who, upon losing sight of his goals, redoubles his efforts.
  --George Santayana
• 

  HenryP

  Actually, it is not *free*. It costs money to produce those CD, just like it costs money to produce the books written by Ray Franz. Bottom line is that both are copyrighted and if you follow the law for one, you should follow the law for the other.
• 

  Xander

  You, of course, know exactly how much it costs to produce a CD, right?

  What the WTBTS tells you aside, it takes 1 person about an hour to copy the data to a temporary folder, another hour or so to index it (assuming ungodly slow machines). Then, compile the frontend and stick it all on a $.50 CD (they don't actually cost that much anymore). Now, how much do Bethalites get paid a month? Divide that by 160 (typical hours worked a month) and multiply by two (to cover the time working on this CD run).

  I'd be *REAL* surprised (like, shocked speechless) if the total cost was more than $1.

  --------------------------

  No, you know what, forget that whole entire above statement.

  1) Ray Franz is an author who publishes a book to make MONEY. *That* is what copyright laws are designed to protect. The rights of the original author to the profit gained from their work.

  2) I *thought* (correct me if I'm wrong), the WTBTS's goal is to SAVE SOULS, not make money. That's why they don't charge people for their literature in this country, right? (that is the *official* reason, right?)

  If that is true, and they believe their literature is the way to do this, then surely they would be rejoicing at my interest in acquiring a copy of the CD, don't you think? I mean, unless they aren't REALLY interested in my spiritual well-being as much as my donation? Right?

  Now, here is a question then, if I was a current publisher who desperately needed the CD to research something a householder asked me - I'm talking his dedication to the 'Truth' is in the balance here - would it be okay to order the CD *then* and not pay for it?

  Careful how you answer that one.

  A fanatic is one who, upon losing sight of his goals, redoubles his efforts.
  --George Santayana
• 

  DakotaRed

  If God didn't want me to copy CD's, He wouldn't have steered me to a computer with a CD Burner!

  If God's Spirit is filling a Kingdom Hall, how is it that Satan can manuever the ones within that Kingdom Hall at the same time?
• 

  Xander

  I notice Henry hasn't answered yet...

  I think it goes behond simply randomly copying CDs. As an example...

  The Federal government requires people to fill out taxes every year, and you can pick up a free booklet to explain how to. Yes, this costs money to make, but it designed to assist people in finding answers to their questions, so is provided free of charge. No one cares if you photocopy this, indeed, people are expected to (and, since the only goal is distribution, making copies of this actually HELPS).

  Now, you could also buy, say, TurboTax. This is a software package designed with similar basic function in mind, but is intended to make Quicken lots of money. They are not doing this out of the goodness of their hearts - to help people in need, nossir, they are publishing this solely to make money for themselves that is does some public good is incidental. Making copies of this will piss Quicken off, since their profits are reduced.

  Essentially, there are two reasons to publish something:

  1) To help people

  2) To make money

  Now, Franz falls quite nicely into the later camp. Hence, no publishing his books on the web for free.

  But, which camp are you implying the society is in? What is the reason *they* are publishing?

  A fanatic is one who, upon losing sight of his goals, redoubles his efforts.
  --George Santayana
• 

  HenryP

  It doesn't matter the reason behind the publication, being Crisis of Conscience of The Watchtower, Copyright laws are copyright laws.