<html><head><style type="text/css"><!-- DIV {margin:0px;} --></style></head><body><div style="font-family:times new roman,new york,times,serif;font-size:12pt"><div>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".<br><br>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.<br></div><blockquote style="border-left: 2px solid rgb(16, 16, 255); margin-left: 5px; padding-left: 5px;"><div style="font-family:times new roman, new york, times, serif;font-size:12pt"><br><div style="font-family:times new roman, new york, times, serif;font-size:12pt"><font size="2" face="Tahoma"><b><span style="font-weight: bold;">From:</span></b> Dean Gibson AE7Q
<data@ae7q.net><br><b><span style="font-weight: bold;">To:</span></b> Discussion of CHIRP <chirp_users@intrepid.danplanet.com><br><b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sent:</span></b> Tue, February 26, 2013 9:01:52 PM<br><b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Subject:</span></b> Re: [chirp_users] Prolific update and amateur pirates<br></font><br>
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I would like to address this to everyone who buys a cable with a
counterfeit Prolific USB-to-serial converter chip:<br>
<br>
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).<br>
<br>
You are financially affecting <b>me</b>. And in a very concrete
and tangible way.<br>
<br>
Because of the extensive counterfeiting of their USB-to-serial
converter chip (and the theft of their intellectual properties:
<a rel="nofollow" class="moz-txt-link-freetext" target="_blank" href="http://www.prolific.com.tw/US/ShowProduct.aspx?p_id=155&pcid=41">http://www.prolific.com.tw/US/ShowProduct.aspx?p_id=155&pcid=41</a>
), Prolific has taken certain steps:<br>
<ol>
<li>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.</li>
<li>The present USB-to-serial converter chip will <b>not</b> be
supported in Windows 8:
<a rel="nofollow" class="moz-txt-link-freetext" target="_blank" href="http://www.prolific.com.tw/US/ShowProduct.aspx?p_id=225&pcid=41">http://www.prolific.com.tw/US/ShowProduct.aspx?p_id=225&pcid=41</a><br>
</li>
</ol>
<p>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 <b>not work</b> when I upgrade to
Windows 8. Instead, I will have to buy new USB-to-serial
converter cables.<br>
</p>
<p>I will pay the <b>twice the price you would have paid</b> (times
thirteen), than if you had bought a legitimate cable. Once, for
each legitimate original cable, and once again for a new cable.<br>
</p>
So, for those of you who knowingly bought counterfeit cables <b>and
continue to use them</b>: <b>Thanks, guys</b>.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
<br>
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