Orphalese Tarot Zone Community Forum

No good news today upon entering the OTZ, right? One can think you're doing the right thing, but some people with an outdated sense of copyright comes to spoil the dream, huh? Nothing new, I'm afraid. Ask Shawn Fanning about Napster. Ask people like the development team of M.A.M.E. and other emulators, threatened badly by Nintendo. Or the people sued for making an optimistic reading of the concept of abandonware. Or anyone involved with MP3 files. They're losing control. They have fear. Menace are their only weapon. They can slow us, but not stop us.

There's a lot of things we can do, of course. We have a wonderful program, an active forum and resources enough to continue on our own. Look at it as a brand new start. Even a lot of decks must leave the DEx, there's also a lot able to stay. Maybe some users will start to ponder the need of creating their own decks. I'm sad because the nice LWB/notes project has been stopped right on its tracks due to this inconvenience, but nothing prevents it for retaking it once we have sorted the DEx. No need to tell that I volunteer for that.

What annoys me is the fact that we're promoting a lot of decks for certain publishers, and they react in exchange with threats. They should know that a real Tarot lover has not enough with a pale virtual version of a real deck. It's OK for study or comparison (a serious one, like we do here), but I can't imagine a pro reader or a hardcore fan using a laptop with Orphalese installed for a live person to person reading, just for saving the price of a pair of decks. This is not like MP3. When I go to a tarot shop, I feel secretly proud of knowing in a certain deep most part of the decks on sale, and this help me to choose and buy the right deck for me. No more blind buying, that's not a sin, IMHO.

Publishers should be more worried with the Russian and Chinese editors faking their products shamessly, and not for some dozens of die-hard fans trying to spread their love for the Tarot. A virtual deck can be the first step of a conscious buy. A Chinese fake means no buy at all. Of course, I can also think that some publishers fear a closer look to their product, in order to avoid dissapointment and unwanted comparisons...

This does not mean war, of course. We need them and they need us. We're nice and educated people, and we'll support without question anyone who deserves it. But maybe it's time to develop a new direction in my Tarot work. I've tasted exciting ways to enjoy the Tarot, far from the classic publisher and buyer scheme. And they can't blame me if I'm going further on that path. Best to all.

P.S.: Sorry for using my secon account, but my Winbox is being repared and I'm confined to laptop again...

Ack! Not happy!! I logged in this morning to discover that our little community has come under the thumb of the Copyright Madness. Yes... It has gone to madening levels! You're right... Why must they focus their angst on a community who actually promotes their deck to a greater audience, instead of going after the ones that are ripping them off with ** underground imitation copies!?! Pick on the easy target, right? *sigh*

Oh for petes sake!

Here's a NEWFLASH for this copywrite nonsense....
I'VE SPEND A LOT OF MONEY SEEING DECKS THROUGH THE ORPHALESE AND BUYING THEM!!!!
(I am yelling that really loud, but my moniter doesn't care if I yell or not.
PppppTtttttttttttttttttttt on this silly accusation of copywrite infringement.!)

OPT is a wonderful ADVERTISEMENT TO LOOK, SEE & EXPERIENCE AND THEN BUYING THE ACTUALLY DECK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Did the emotion DUH kick in anywhere before the theif accusation kick in...apparently NOT!!!!!

Now isn't that what its all about? We see, we want, we buy? YEEEEEEESSSSSS!!!!
One more time, for the impaired....DUUUH!

Orphalese has opened doors that we normally don't have through ANY deck review, advertisment on the web OR in any bookstore display!

HEEEELOOWWW OUT THERE??!!! Do you not understand the concept of TEASING with the intention of GETTING YOUR DECK SOLD??? Advertising has worked in our lifes for GENERATIONS! WhaZZ Up with your anal attitude of DISPLAYING YOUR DECK/DECKS that ARE FOR SALE???

SHOOT FAR!! This is all stuiped stuff.

Grrrrr! I have so much more to say, but will shut my mouth.
I would really love to tell whomever, SHHUUUSH! Let them come to you after SEEING OPT in action and DESIRING YOUR EXPOSED TINY OPT DECK!

Its not like we are going to COPY AND SELL IT FOR PROFIT! We wanna FEEL the DECK in our HANDS after SEEING IT WORK!!

Barb who is also known as GRANNY
(and she's spitting mad now! CHEWING ON TREES NOW!)

I'm right with ya, Barb! Just for the hell of it, this morning, I compiled a list of the decks I've purchased BECAUSE I saw them on Orphalese. The publisher of these decks should thank Richard for the sales.

Decks I've purchased, thanks to OT

Osho Zen
Sharman-Caselli
Druidcraft
Dragons Tarot (Lo Scarabeo)

And more recently

Power Animals (Steven Farmer)
Contact Cards (Carlsberg and Anka)

How 'bout them apples? Surely they can see that this is a small community of enthusiasts who actually enjoy physically collecting oracle and tarot decks!! Geesh! *rolls eyes in disbelief* And what's their big issue about seeing a deck before purchasing it? At the price they go for where I live, I'm bloody glad I can get to check them out before shelling out an astronomical sum of money! Kinda like purchasing a car without seeing it or test-driving it!

Obviously the 'company' is being difficult, this program has inspired me to buy decks. I think the company knows that, they are simply expressing their ethics.

I too am an owner of many decks (50), and I proud that we have a place were we can see the decks before we purchase them. One or two card peek is not thrilling for me. I enjoy being able to see all the cards before I purchase a deck. Like all Grams, I also am on a fixed income and can only purchase a new deck about every other month, gotta save the funds. LOL I have purchased decks on the blind and am not impressed with them. I believe that is what they want. They do not care about us enjoying them, its just the money they got for getting us to purchase them.

ok my 2 cents


Baretta

A sad day:(

I don't belive their sale will make a jump upwards, what you use on decks are almost fixed and now with no carrot to help the sale (ohhh that deck is nice...MUST have) I belive it even can decrease.

But..but...we are a small community and no firm can live from us alone so it's rather a fight for copyright, and then it's better to hit the mouse and let the lion run!

If you want to sell their deck Richard, it might be an option, but then they better scan and put in the notes themself!

You took the words right out of my mind, Rhutobello. Pay a fee for virtual decks reminds me a lot about the MP3 scheme. I love MP3 for sure, but it's very difficult (and expensive) to buy them legally with ease. Of course, if I must pay for a virtual deck, I want quality scanning, no grain, readable letters and the LWB and notes included. The job for the publisher in order to do this is quick and **, and they can earn a lot. If we buy, of course...

Just adding my 2 cents to the idiocy of the current situation:


Recently went to a metaphysical expo and was browsing around one of the booths when something caught my eye: The Revelation Tarot.
Now, I probably would have walked on by except for the fact that I had DL that particular deck a few days earlier on the deck exchange and remembered that I really liked the artwork being for reversals as well as the main reading. Kachiiiiing! SALE! Thanx to the deck exchange.
I guess I'm reiterating what's already been said, but it bears repeating. At first glance, to an outsider, it may seem that OT is costing them sales by giving people free virtual decks. However, in actuality, tarot devotees know that, although virtual is great, it is nothing compared to having the real thing in your hot little hands. If these people have faith in the worth of their decks, then they should have faith that downloaded virtual decks will result in sales of physical decks.

Dear Orphalese Friends,

I have been a student of Astrology for over fifteen years and of Numerology for over ten. On November 30, 2002, I became a registered Orphalese user. At that time I had one deck, the Rider Tarot, and one book, Learning The Tarot, by Joan Bunning.

My deck collection has since grown to 38 Tarot, Cartomancy and Oracle decks, all with accompanying texts. My research library to is now at over 27 volumes. All of these were legitimately purchased. I would conservatively estimate that at least 80 of these purchases were directly inspired by Orphalese.

IF YOU DO THE MATH, THAT EQUATES TO OVER $1,000 USD.

Publishers, you should be paying Richard royalties ! ! !

Many Blessing to Richard, who is most deserved, and to the publishers, who are in need of a little wake-up call (what us Yanks call a brain slap!).

Christine