Posted by yours truely on the AT forum...

[Barb]

Orphalese SELLS Tarot Decks,now ask me why!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


When I downloaded then registered my Orphalese software, I became addicted. Not only did I have a wonderful way to do readings, save them, and then email them, I had the opportunity to see other decks that I didn't know existed AND saw some I had always wanted!

Then began that hunger that every tarot lover gets as they peruse Orphalese's awesome deck exchange...
YOU WANT-YOU GOT-TO HOLD THIS DECK or DECKS in many of our cases

As new decks were uploaded to the deck exchanged, more and more money has been spent in getting ahold of them!
BOOKS-DECKS-COMPANION BOOKS HAD TO BE HAD!

The recent forum posts about how many people have spent X amount of dollars on decks & the such, that they were able to be viewed and use in the Orphalese program are being posted!

This is why I say Orphalese sells tarot decks! Inadvertantly they have become an ADVERTISEMENT for ALL DECKS that are uploaded to the deck exchange!

As Orphalese reaches the masses (and it slowly is), Publishers will WANT/BEG Orphalese to offer the TINY REPRODUCTION of their new or recreated deck!
Free advertisment is always a good thing when TRYING TO REACH ANYONE WITH A BUCK TO SPEND, don't you agree?

Inside of each uploaded deck is a xml file of WHO the deck is sold by WHO the deck was created by, AND IF A WEB SITE IS AVAILABLE..its there too! ALL INFORMATION ON EACH DECK IS THERE ON THAT XML FILE!
So, when we want a paticular deck, we can check it out AND PURCHASE THE REAL THING!
(Who wants to play with a paper-printer copy when we can SMELL & FEEL the REAL THANG??? HUUUUMMMMM????)

Pass that info along and see if I am wrong on Orphalese being FREE ADVERTISEMENT for ALL publishers!

Barbara Ann Jackson
Orphalese User and Admirer of its Creator & Colleges!!!!!!!

[Rhutobello]

A M E N ! :)

They better start talking to Richard,with an agreement all will be out in the open..and somehow under controll..no one benefit economic from their deck..but themself for free add....if they don't bother to come to an agrement, the deck will flow as before but under no controll and they have missed an opertunity!

[meiguolangren]

I doubt there is any doubt that Orphalese Tarot does indeed sell some decks. The copyright holders probably would not contest that. However, while they hold copyright as a given, they probably also hold trademark and trademark laws dictate that they must vigorously defend it. Of course, the developers of the program might wish to negotiate some sort of deal that allows the deck exchange to operate at some level (either the pay-per deck sheme previously described - although I would suggest there be a minimum image size as some of the scanned decks have very low quality which does NOT showcase the deck very well) or an exlusive or non-exclusive agreement as advertising of some sort but in an official capacity rather than as an underground endeavor which is pretty much what Orphalese was before someone called foul.

My understanding is that US Games has some sort of exclusive arrangement for certain decks with the folks at Tarot.com so by nature of that agreement they would have to say no to anyone else carrying those particular decks. That does not mean that Orphalese couldn't negotiate a fair agreement for other decks.

Folks who are less on the mainstream trail may find Orphalese to be a worthwhile way to get their decks out there for preview with the program.

Personally, I was disappointed when I opened up the zone to find the closed sign up . . . particularly as I had downloaded and registered my program just two days earlier mainly to have access to the deck exchange. Talk about a HUGE let down that was. The selling point for registration for me was the Zone and then not to be able to use it was more than a huge bummer.

My heart is with the folks who want to see free exchange . . . but my mind understands the reasoning of the folks who said stop . . . particularly if there was no prior communication about using their decks in the exchange.

Hopefully the exchange will open up for more unpublished and original decks soon.

- Brian

[Programmer]

Hi Brian,

I wrote to US Games about four years ago to get permission to use screenshots of their decks on the main website and they told me about that deal with Tarot.com - they have an exclusive agreement when it comes to using their images in tarot software. I don't think it would necessarily rule out them supplying their decks for previewing of the images, but I need to talk to them directly again, obviously, and I will do as soon as the exchange is back up and running and I can say look, this is what it is and does.

Re the disappointment, I can understand that. Really the program itself should be the thing that drives people to buy, the OTZ should be seen as an extra. That said, I don't mind giving a refund to anyone who has registered the program in the last month (say) who feels cheated - I know this isn't what you were after but I mention it for anyone else that reads this.

Cheers
Richard

[meiguolangren]

Please do NOT think I feel cheated . . . . I don't . . . I was just saying that I was disappointed, this is not the same as feeling cheated or the like . . . while a major reason for me to register my Orphalese Tarot program was so I could access the Tarot Zone Deck Exchange, I believe I am likely to get enough other good out of the program that I will feel satisfied in the long run. I am a comoderator for TarotL, one of the oldest email discussion groups on Tarot so I am certain I can find some good use from the program. BTW, if anyone is interested in Tarot and guided imagery/hypnosis, I did put one of my processes at http://briandavidphillips.libsyn.com/in ... t_id=19337 if you care to give it a listen (I will be teaching a workshop on the topic in August for the local hypnotist group as well, albeit with a LOT more patterns and processes).

Keep us posted about the deck exchange status . . . when it opens up again, I will upload the zip of the SEET set http://public.fotki.com/briandavidphill ... akespeare/ (warning, the images are not for everyone so if naked bodies upset you don't click).

My students created their own major arcana decks at http://public.fotki.com/briandavidphill ... /students/ for those with an interest (NOT for upload to the exchange but the images are online at the site).

All the best,
Brian

[Barb]

WELCOME BACK, RICHARD!

We've really missed you! That being said...

Welcome back to OUR Home here, too! .0)

We are staying optimistic, but I still think a boot with an upright swing or a rope behind a truck will work just as well! But thats just the redneck in me! .0)

Orphalese will survive and become even stronger! I have the faith, and from a lot of emails I see OPT has MANY FOLLOWERS WITH THAT FAITH too!

Did we mention we missed you? .0)

Barbara