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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 class="moz-txt-link-freetext" 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 class="moz-txt-link-freetext" 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>
Sincerely, Dean Gibson / AE7Q<br>
<br>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 2013-02-26 16:42, Bill Gabbard
wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote cite="mid:28994677063A475C8D6FCD0CB702597D@BillLTPC"
type="cite">
<meta content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" http-equiv="Content-Type">
<meta name="GENERATOR" content="MSHTML 9.00.8112.16464">
<style></style>
<div><strong><em><font face="Georgia" size="4">I just
Right-Clicked the Update and Clicked Hide, so won't show
again.</font></em></strong></div>
<div><strong><em><font face="Georgia" size="4">Thanks,</font></em></strong></div>
<div><strong><em><font face="Georgia" size="4">Bill</font></em></strong></div>
<blockquote style="BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; PADDING-LEFT:
5px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<div style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </div>
<div style="FONT: 10pt arial; BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color:
black"><b>From:</b> <a moz-do-not-send="true"
title="phaeton@neo.rr.com" href="mailto:phaeton@neo.rr.com">Phaeton</a>
</div>
<div style="FONT: 10pt arial"><b>To:</b> <a
moz-do-not-send="true"
title="chirp_users@intrepid.danplanet.com"
href="mailto:chirp_users@intrepid.danplanet.com">Discussion
of CHIRP</a> </div>
<div style="FONT: 10pt arial"><b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, February 26,
2013 5:19 PM</div>
<div style="FONT: 10pt arial"><b>Subject:</b> Re: [chirp_users]
Prolific Update</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<b>...</b><br>
<div>
<div>On Feb 26, 2013, at 4:34 PM, Jim Unroe <<a
moz-do-not-send="true" href="mailto:rock.unroe@gmail.com">rock.unroe@gmail.com</a>>
wrote:</div>
<br class="Apple-interchange-newline">
<blockquote type="cite">No. Do not update.
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Unless your programming cable has a genuine Prolific
usb-to-serial chip in it (most cheap cables have a
counterfeit chip), the updated driver will detect the
counterfeit chip and stop working. You must continue to
use the older driver that does not perform this check.</div>
<div><br>
<div>Jim<br>
<br>
<div class="gmail_quote">On Tue, Feb 26, 2013 at 4:15
PM, Bill Gabbard <span dir="ltr"><<a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:wcgabbard1@windstream.net"
target="_blank">wcgabbard1@windstream.net</a>></span>
wrote:<br>
<blockquote style="BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid;
MARGIN: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; PADDING-LEFT: 1ex"
class="gmail_quote">
<div bgcolor="#ffffff">
<div><strong><em><font face="Georgia" size="4">I've
a Windows 7 PC that the Windows Update
notified me the below Update is
available. Should I update it?</font></em></strong></div>
<div><strong><em><font face="Georgia" size="4">Thanks,</font></em></strong></div>
<div><strong><em><font face="Georgia" size="4">Bill</font></em></strong></div>
<div><strong><em><font face="Georgia" size="4">------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</font></em></strong></div>
<div><strong><em><font face="Georgia" size="4">Prolific
- Other hardware - Prolific USB-to-Serial
Comm Port</font></em></strong></div>
<div> </div>
<div><strong><em><font face="Georgia" size="4">Download
size: 114 KB</font></em></strong></div>
<div> </div>
<div><strong><em><font face="Georgia" size="4">You
may need to restart your computer for this
update to take effect.</font></em></strong></div>
<div> </div>
<div><strong><em><font face="Georgia" size="4">Update
type: Optional</font></em></strong></div>
<div> </div>
<div><strong><em><font face="Georgia" size="4">Prolific
Other hardware software update released in
February, 2013</font></em></strong></div>
</div>
<br>
</blockquote>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
</div>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
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