[chirp_users] Prolific update and amateur pirates

[John W.]

Well, in most cases, no one knows they have a counterfeit until they get the 
cable and it does not work properly.  I have not ever heard a retailer saying 
"We sell fake chips".

Fortunately, I will not be upgrading to Win8.  It brings nothing new, insofar as 
functionality.  It does however, take away the start menu and introduces a 
stupid new interface that only is effective for touch screens.


>
>From: Dean Gibson AE7Q <data at ae7q.net>
>To: Discussion of CHIRP <chirp_users at intrepid.danplanet.com>
>Sent: Tue, February 26, 2013 9:01:52 PM
>Subject: Re: [chirp_users] Prolific update and amateur pirates
>
> I would like to address this to everyone who buys a cable with a     
>counterfeit Prolific USB-to-serial converter chip:
>
>You may not think you are hurting anyone, but you are.  Aside from     the legal 
>and ethical issues with buying counterfeit goods, you are     financially 
>affecting more than just Prolific (who sells legitimate     chips).
>
>You are financially affecting me.  And in a very concrete     and tangible way.
>
>Because of the extensive counterfeiting of their USB-to-serial     converter 
>chip (and the theft of their intellectual properties: 
>http://www.prolific.com.tw/US/ShowProduct.aspx?p_id=155&pcid=41 ), Prolific has 
>taken certain steps:
>
>	1. They have designed a new USB-to-serial converter chip that is         
>supposed to be more difficult to counterfeit, and selling that         to 
>legitimate cable makers.  This chip will be supported in         Windows 8.
>	2. The present USB-to-serial converter chip will not be         supported in 
>Windows 8: http://www.prolific.com.tw/US/ShowProduct.aspx?p_id=225&pcid=41
>
>So, how does this affect me?  I have and use thirteen       USB-to-serial 
>converter cables with the old (legitimate) Prolific       chip.  These cables 
>will not work when I upgrade to       Windows 8.  Instead, I will have to buy 
>new USB-to-serial       converter cables.
>
>I will pay the twice the price you would have paid (times       thirteen), than 
>if you had bought a legitimate cable.  Once, for       each legitimate original 
>cable, and once again for a new cable.
>
So, for those of you who knowingly bought counterfeit cables and       continue 
to use them:  Thanks, guys.
>
>As a person who has contributed code to the Chirp project, has     written other 
>open-source software for the amateur community, and     has maintained a couple 
>amateur radio support sites (free and     without ads) for the past decade, you 
>have made my heart very warm     with feelings of appreciation.  Or maybe just a 
>bit hot.
>
>
>
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