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http://www.macnn.com/articles/04/01/26/fwb.sells.source.code/

FWB source code available for sale on eBay

updated 09:00 am EST, Mon January 26, 2004

FWB sells source code

A MacNN reader notes that the source code to with a starting bid at $65,000: "This is the complete source code to the following FWB commercial software products: - Hard Disk ToolKit 4.5 - CD-ROM ToolKit 3.0 - DriveUp! 98 1.0. This collection includes the complete source code for all three commercial products. These retail products can be seen at: http://www.fwb.com. Hard Disk ToolKit is the Macintosh industry-leading utility for managing hard disk drives. All code is fully functional and ready to be ported to OS X. This private party sale includes all sources. It does *not* include the right to use the product names nor the FWB brand, name, or logo. This sale is by FWB Software, Inc. and is the legitimate sale of this Intellectual Property."

by MacNN Staff

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MacNN.com Reader
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01/26, 09:32am | report spam | close Reply |
*Yawn*

Riviting....

MacNN.com Reader
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01/26, 09:32am | report spam | close Reply |
good lord...

how the semi-mighty have fallen... declaring bankruptcy and then selling what's left, down to the bare walls and hard drives, on ebay? i thought we left this kinda of stuff back in '99 with the dot-bombs...

MacNN.com Reader
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01/26, 09:47am | report spam | close Reply |
Weird

It seems weird, somehow. The auction doesn't talk about a contract for the transfer of the copyright and/or patents, just a vague reference to intellectual property.

Also, the seller has been around for a while, but mostly selling random PC hardware. It doesn't look particularly connected to FWB. It all comes across as pretty shady.

Also... $65,000 for the source code to a handful of successful products? That doesn't seem right. The source is the bread and butter of a software business. That amount would barely pay the salary, benefits, and overhead for a single engineer.

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01/26, 09:52am | report spam | close Reply |
Buy this

I too have a DVD-R disc which may or may not contain source code and or software.
I also provide license to use whatever contents may be on the disc.
Let the bidding begin!

MacNN.com Reader
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01/26, 09:53am | report spam | close Reply |
noone want it.

:P noone like it i bet.

MacNN.com Reader
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01/26, 09:55am | report spam | close Reply |
I have a copy of

Linux for sale. Oh, wait. I cannot make money with that stuff.

Sad for FWB no doubt. Good thing they we not in the open source "what is mine is yours" crowd. They wouldn't get jack. At least their code is an asset.

MacNN.com Reader
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01/26, 09:57am | report spam | close Reply |
way too much

It is some old software that still needs to be ported and still won't match anything that is already out there.

Who ever buys it is going to end up spending way too much on it in the long run.

MacNN.com Reader
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01/26, 11:03am | report spam | close Reply |
For sale:

For sale: Some old source code that we figured we couldn't make money on porting to OSX. Includes Brooklyn Bridge.

MacNN.com Reader
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01/26, 11:33am | report spam | close Reply |
Linux!

You sure can make money off Linux. As long as you make the source code available.

h***, I am selling hand painted editions of Red Hat Shrike CD's. Since I modified the Cd installs by adding my own personal artistic touch, I can sell for profit! Wow- the GPL rules!

MacNN.com Reader
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01/26, 11:59am | report spam | close Reply |
Not real

If this auction is real, I'll eat my hat.

I predict E-bay will take it down shortly (they have an unwritten policy against auctions that feature data on recordable CD's or DVD's. Even if the data is yours to distribute, they'll take the auction off and make you prove it.)

MacNN.com Reader
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01/26, 12:29pm | report spam | close Reply |
Dumbass

1st, all CDs were recordable at some point. 2nd, how do you know this has already not been verified by eBay due to its high profile. Be prepared to eat your hat.

MacNN.com Reader
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01/26, 12:36pm | report spam | close Reply |
Funniest part...

"Buyer pays for all shipping costs"

So make that check for $65,000.60 please.

MacNN.com Reader
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01/26, 01:01pm | report spam | close Reply |
Re: Linux!

Where can I download the source for your distro? I would like it for nothing thanks.

MacNN.com Reader
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01/26, 01:11pm | report spam | close Reply |
*** Auction Closed ***

I just bought the source.

I will port it over using Realbasic. I learned how to program last weekend and promise to bring great new things to future products using this code.

BTW, what's a variable?

MacNN.com Reader
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01/26, 01:11pm | report spam | close Reply |
Re: Dumbass

All CD's were recordable at some point? You obviously have no concept of how factory-replicated discs are made. They're stamped, not recorded.

CD-R and factory-replicated CD's are completely different, physically. They have almost nothing in common, except they both store data in the same format.

MacNN.com Reader
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01/26, 01:13pm | report spam | close Reply |
DigitalDope

Coming soon for OSX!

MacNN.com Reader
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01/26, 01:26pm | report spam | close Reply |
Interesting Background:

MacDiscussion had an interview with someone connected to the company (post-criminal activity):
http://www.macdiscussion.com/article_show.php3?article_id_var=246

Interesting read, in light of today's auction!

MacNN.com Reader
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01/26, 03:06pm | report spam | close Reply |
Who would want it?

MacOS X doesn't use third-party disk drivers. What could possibly be on that disk that would interest anyone?

The only thing that FWB had that might be of interest is the ability to resize HFS partitions non-destructively. If that worked with HFS+, I could see the code being worth some money.

Otherwise, it's probably worth next to nothing.

MacNN.com Reader
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01/26, 03:53pm | report spam | close Reply |
Dumbass

"They're stamped, not recorded."

You are using different words but the action is the same - the information is recorded on to the CD substrate.

MacNN.com Reader
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01/26, 03:59pm | report spam | close Reply |
Auction's over

It was a scam. The seller revised the auction description, erasing everything and putting a "1" in its place, then closed the bidding. Move along.

MacNN.com Reader
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01/26, 04:13pm | report spam | close Reply |
Re: who would want

MacOS X doesn't use third-party disk drivers. What could possibly be on that disk that would interest anyone?

Umm, OS 9 didn't use third-part disk drivers either. That's why they're called 'third-party'. You can use third-party drivers in OS X or OS 9 if you feel they give better performace to your drive then the Apple supplied drivers.

MacNN.com Reader
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01/26, 05:04pm | report spam | close Reply |
not fraud

It wasn't fraud.. I talked to the owners and they were trying to sell the IP. Not sure why the closed it early, emailed and asked. They may have sold it or been required to put something in the Auction. The person listing it is working with FWB, but not the current owners. Contract employee or some such.

MacNN.com Reader
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01/26, 06:18pm | report spam | close Reply |
FWB Press Release

I was curious about the auction and contacted FWB this morning. The president emailed back and said he'd have a press release later today. He just emailed it to me...

From: Mark Hurlow
Subject: Press Release - FWB Announces availability of Hard Disk Toolkit and CD-ROM Toolkit Source Code
Date: Mon, 26 Jan 2004 14:47:06 -0800

For Immediate Release

FWB Announces availability of Hard Disk Toolkit and CD-ROM Toolkit Source Code

Newark, California, (January 26th, 2004) --- FWB Software announced today that the complete source code for its Hard Disk ToolKit, CD-ROM ToolKit, and DriveUp! 98 products is for sale. Hard Disk ToolKit is the Macintosh industry-leading storage utility for managing hard disk drives. The intellectual property in question is complete, fully functional, and ready to be ported to OS X. The company announced the sale includes all source code, but It does not include the right to use the product names or the FWB brand, name, or logo.

"We are looking for a serious buyer for some of FWB's current intellectual property, but we want to make one thing perfectly clear: until such a time as an acquisition of FWB's intellectual property occurs, FWB is fully committed to continuing operations, sales, and most importantly, support." Stated Mark Hurlow, FWB's president. "FWB has no plans at this time to cease operations. We are fully committed to our customers, products, and the Macintosh platform. Our intention is to continue to innovate and continue sales and support at the level of excellence that we always have." said Hurlow.

About FWB Software, Inc.
FWB Software is a leading developer and supplier of Macintosh software solutions that enhance the performance and extend the functionality of Macintosh systems. FWB changed the nature of utility computing with its ToolKit line of storage management products. The company provides powerful utility products to over five million customers worldwide in the graphic arts, digital video, publishing, and entertainment markets.

Hard Disk Toolkit, CD-ROM Toolkit, and DriveUp! 98 are trademarks of FWB Software, Inc.

For more information, contact FWB by e-mail at sales@fwb.com.

MacNN.com Reader
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01/26, 08:33pm | report spam | close Reply |
so go eat your hat

do you want fries with that?

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FWB source code available for sale on eBay

updated 09:00 am EST, Mon January 26, 2004

FWB sells source code

Yawn

good lord...

Weird

Buy this

noone want it.

I have a copy of

way too much

For sale:

Linux!

Not real

Dumbass

Funniest part...

Re: Linux!

* Auction Closed *

Re: Dumbass

DigitalDope

Interesting Background:

Who would want it?

Dumbass

Auction's over

Re: who would want

not fraud

FWB Press Release

so go eat your hat

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FWB source code available for sale on eBay

updated 09:00 am EST, Mon January 26, 2004

FWB sells source code

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*Yawn*

good lord...

Weird

Buy this

noone want it.

I have a copy of

way too much

For sale:

Linux!

Not real

Dumbass

Funniest part...

Re: Linux!

*** Auction Closed ***

Re: Dumbass

DigitalDope

Interesting Background:

Who would want it?

Dumbass

Auction's over

Re: who would want

not fraud

FWB Press Release

so go eat your hat

Login Here

Register for our weekly email newsletter:

Connect tools:

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on Twitter

Most Read

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MacNN Marketplace

Yawn

* Auction Closed *