Patches and discussion for Ensoniq VFX family

Hey it's the manual mafia...  how's biz these days?  Slow?

I'd be very interested in hearing more about the supposed legalities 
of copying a user manual for an obsolete keyboard.  I doubt you have 
any grounds for this bluff and are probably just trying to "protect 
your ricebowl".

As far as I am aware, there is no Ensoniq and there is no support for 
previous Ensoniq products from Emu.  This synth is nearly 15? years 
old.  Emu support is not good at the best of times, and I suspect 
they don't give a damn about old Ensoniq gear after acquiring their 
tech.

I am after a copy of the VFX manual (preferably PDF) to decide 
whether or not I'd like to acquire one of these keyboards, but I'm 
certainly not going to buy a manual to make such as assessment.  Talk 
about money for nothing - you guys are selling PDF files and 
photocopies LOL.  (Although, yes I appreciate the payment is for your 
collecting skills rather than the media itself)

While I appreciate that your company provides a potentially useful 
service, and probably has an impressive library of collated 
documentation - You will always be the LAST RESORT for someone 
seeking a manual.  Unfortunately, your comments have permanently 
disuaded me from ever buying a manual from these two companies (and I 
am also in the market for several service manuals at the moment, 
which I realise are a little rarer and more specialised than owner 
manuals, and which I am prepared to pay for).  There are others 
attempting the same exploitation as yourselves - I'm going to be 
supporting your competition now.

I predict you are fighting a losing battle trying to dominate 
keyboard user manuals - they should be and will be distributed freely.
 
regards,
Mike

disclaimer - any use of "You" refers to the companies mentioned and 
of course is not intended as a personal attack on the recipient, 
apologies if read as such.

I also realise I've probably violated my VFX list member probation 
and will understand if I get kicked off - I just feel strongly about 
this issue at the moment.

--- In Ensoniq-VFX-SD@yahoogroups.com, mishon66@a... wrote:
> In a message dated 9/12/2003 5:30:32 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
flihotz@y... writes:
> 
> > 
> > 
> > I don't know of anyone at EMU that we might speak to,
> > but it might be worth a shot.
> > 
> > A few years ago when we were re-vamping and moving the
> > EPS archive, I contacted the UG moderator to let him
> > know that I posessed most of Ensoniq's dealer library
> > of sounds.  We got permission to post them if we
> > needed them.  As it turned out, a great deal of the
> > library that was 'up' contained most of those sounds. 
> > This means that permission had probably been granted
> > already back when the Ensoniq boys were in conrtol of
> > things.
> > 
> > I'm guessing that if we can find the right person to
> > contact, that there would be no problem in posting the
> > different manuals.  We are talking about obsolete
> > product.
> > 
> > Frank Lihotz
> > 
>  Frank and others considering posting VFX manuals and or any 
Ensoniq manuals here.
>  
>  www.Route66studios.com and www.Syntuar.com are both licensed 
sellers of these manuals, you would be stepping on toes.
> 
> As far as this thread goes the gentleman from Australia stated that 
the shipping and customs tax was too high. I am not sure where he 
came up with this but flat rate to Australia is $9.00 via Global 
priority mail and there is NO duty tax if the customs form is checked 
as a gift.
> 
>  Richard at Route 66