[Dakota]

Originally Posted by David Emerling

What - websites don't have paid advertisements? In many ways, websites work in a very similar fashion as TV/radio stations. There is a fine line between "web hits" and "Nielson Ratings." When you *click* on one of those advertisements, it frequently brings additional revenue to the web owner in additional to the costs of placing the ad in the first place.

It works in a similar fashion. Frequently, the "free" information on a website isn't so "free."

If you haven't noticed, the ASA website has no shortages of opportunities to buy stuff - although, they usually don't choose to sell anything that is not specifically sold by them. I haven't checked, but I doubt you will find a link (or advertisement) for Honig's umpire equipment anywhere on their website. But that's their choosing. That's their right. I'm just saying that it doesn't have to be that way. In fact, the ASA might even sell more of their stuff if there was more of an enticement to visit their website.

Feel free to propose a different business model to the ASA. One thing about free enterprise - every enterprise gets to choose their own business model. Some succeed; some don't. ASA seems to be doing reasonably well with theirs.

That is a comment that most people make when they're running out of things to say; as if the question, in itself, somehow diminishes the relevance.

It's relevance should be obvious. You seem to be making the argument that because they own the rights to the rules, they should maintain the rules' limited availability. I'm pointing out that plenty of people do not exercise their ownership in that manner. I'm suggesting that the ASA exercise their ownership in a more liberal fashion - for the greater good. It's just my opinion - and I suspect many others hold the same opinion.

That's how it's relevant!

BS. Your initial statement is the retort used when there is nothing left to say. It is irrelevant because there is no requirement, suggestion, or even economic theory that says all businesses operating in the same area must or should follow the same business model. What others do and how they do it is irrelevant, unless your only point is that it is possible to give it away. I never argued it was not possible; only that they had no obligation to do so and that they are not in existence as a benevolent organization out to educate the general public. Nevermind that giving the rule book away won't educate the public anyway.

So you'll agree that many fans are woefully ignorant of the rules? I agree!

How could it make things worse by making the rules available for somebody, like a fan, who may have a passing interest in some aspect of the game? ... especially since you seem to be acknowledging that it's a problem. Wouldn't it be better if daddy was better educated?

You've stepped down quite a bit from claiming it would educate daddy to saying it wouldn't cause any harm. Since there are ample rule books out there online, and since most of the rules essentially are the same, we have more than sufficient evidence this does not solve the uneducated fan (or even coach) problem. Hence, there is no benefit on this front from giving the rule book away.

But it would be nice, at times, when I don't have the book in my back pocket, whenever I have a question, to be able to fire up the computer and check it out online. It would be a nice convenience even for an umpire or coach who actually does get a copy of the book after registering.

I've seen posts within this very forum where a poster will say something like: "I'm at work, I don't have my rulebook available, but I think that it says such-in-such ..."

Oh, but you CAN do this; you just have to PAY for it for ASA and NFHS. Join the NFHS Officials Association, you have online access. Buy the ASA CD, load it onto your computer, and you have computer access whenever you are near your computer. Load it onto your home computer and your work computer and you'll have it both places. I suppose now you'll argue that it is not there when you use the public library computers. Well, you're right. Yawn.

If you're convinced the softball world is better served by the manner in which the ASA and NFHS chooses to dessimenate their system of rules, I can see I cannot convince you otherwise.

At least admit that it is highly more likely that their decision is more of a business decision than it is a softball decision. And, in my opinion, I don't even think it's a very good business decision.

Find where I said anything about this other than it being their right to make their own business decisions about how to distribute their property. You are the one making the high-sounding claims about the goodness to mankind.

I guess I'm both an idealist and a purist on this matter.

That's two words, I guess, but inaccurate ones. You consider it idealistic for property owners to merely place everything into the public domain? As an engineer whose stock-in-trade is intellectual property, I can tell you that model for civilization will not work. I think there was a former world power that tried something resembling that model where everyone was supposed to operate for the good of the whole for some 90 years before they gave it up.