["Followup-To:" header set to sci.electronics.design.]
On Sat, 23 Apr 2005 16:53:08 -0500,
John Fields wrote
in Msg.

I disagree. If the instrument maker supplied an instruction manual
with the instrument when it was first sold, then, as far as I'm
concerned, he's under no obligation to provide further _free_ copies
of that documentation. As a courtesy, it might be nice for them to do
so, but why should they _have_ to?

I don't think they should _have_ to, but at least they should refrain from
enforcing copyrights on the manuals (i.e., keeping customers from sharing
copies).

---
No, let's _not_ leave that point unexplored. _Why_ do you think it's
unwise?
---

Bad marketing. I at least am much more likely to purchase some new
equipment from company X if I know that they are actively or passively
supporting out-of-date equipment.

Lynx Robotics, for example, is such a company: Although they have long ago
shifted their line of business to something else, you can still download
the old DOS software for their motion control equipment made in the 80's
from their website. For free, without registration. In my eyes, as a
potential customer, that makes them _very_ attractive.

--Daniel