Article: 31248 of alt.fan.elite Path: news.cix.co.uk!peernews.cix.co.uk!ayres.ftech.net!news.ftech.net!dispose.news.demon.net!demon!news.demon.co.uk!demon!frontdev.demon.co.uk!frontier.co.uk!anonymous From: "David Braben" Newsgroups: alt.fan.elite Subject: Press Release about the ibell website (long) Date: Thu, 16 Sep 1999 12:27:37 +0100 Message-ID: NNTP-Posting-Host: frontdev.demon.co.uk X-NNTP-Posting-Host: frontdev.demon.co.uk:158.152.30.194 X-Trace: news.demon.co.uk 937481721 nnrp-11:1420 NO-IDENT frontdev.demon.co.uk:158.152.30.194 X-Complaints-To: abuse@demon.net To: alt.fan.elite X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 4.72.2106.4 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V4.72.2106.4 Lines: 51 Xref: news.cix.co.uk alt.fan.elite:31248 PRESS RELEASE A number of publishers, including PC Format and PC Zone, have been taken in by a scurrilous ‘press release’ purporting to be from Ian Bell, co-author of the 80’s classic “Elite”. They have published elements from this without first checking the facts, but they have behaved very reasonably and have amended their stories after reading postings to the USENET group alt.fan.elite, and discussing the issue with CIX and myself. This release is intended to set the record straight. As was discussed earlier this year on the newsgroup, I intend to offer old versions of Elite, Frontier, etc for download from a part of Frontier Developments ’s web site (which is currently massively out of date), as long as we can get the required clearances. These will not be public domain, but will not be charged for (a subtle distinction preserving rights). It is likely that sources will also be made available via an “Elite Club”. Ironically I am prevented from putting Elite on our site as it was a joint project and I do not have permission from Ian to do so. To further complicate this I believe Ian has sold his rights in Elite, but have no confirmation of this from Ian, who has not been replying to my correspondence. With this in mind I inquired of CIX (the publishers of the site) as to the identity of the site holder (as it may not be Ian Bell), and asked for a contact address, making my wishes to offer Elite very clear, together with an offer of retrospective permission for Ian Bell’s site. It is only after a lack of any response over a period of three months that I asked CIX to remove the site. Rather than finally triggering a response as I expected, this caused a purported email correspondence between ibell and staff at CIX to be placed on the site. A director of CIX has told me that these purported mails were far from complete and seriously misrepresent the dialogue between CIX and ibell, putting both CIX and myself in a very bad light. I understand it was this that was the final trigger for the removal of the site. I am happy to discuss any of the issues involved, including issues raised in the dodgy press release. I strongy suggest that web publishers remove this from their sites, or at least check out the facts for themselves. This problem can still be sorted out and the web site possibly re-instated. For more details please look at the lengthy dialogue on the USENET group alt.fan.elite (which can be seen on the Deja News Archives at www.deja-news.com if they are no longer on your news server). David Braben I can be contacted at: dbraben@frontier.co.uk