History of Italian Spectrum software scene in Italy
by Stefano
History of Spectrum software scene in Italy began in 1982.
Italy - one of the countries with highly developed piracy. When
Sinclair set up his computer, the Italian market was quite
"Empty". Other companies such as Commodore, Acorn, IBM, even
not trying to conquer the Italian market, despite the fact that
he is ripe for home computers. Clive Sinclair's first
computer maker, dared to take this step.
Magazines began to appear on the Spectrum, all instructions in
which were transferred to a VERY Decent Italian language, that
thought (and still is) by no means a trifle in Italy.
Italians have reacted very positively. But if
Sinclair has paid great attention to Italy, then on the
manufacturers software that was to say no way.
It seemed that for the Anglo-American software manufacturers
ensure passage through the Alps was very difficult. They
Italy ignored in all possible ways: they do not
engaged in the translation of any games or instructions to
them, they do not care of distributing the programs in Italy,
they did not pay focus on growth in piracy.
It should be noted that in 1982, few Italians knew
English (and even now, too, to be honest ...), so
program without a manual, translated into Italian, was
Almost useless. Note also the fact that most of the
users were children from 9 to 18 who have no word
did not know in English, so the game without the instructions
on the Italian language was completely useless.
One must also take into account that only two publishers
(Jackson JCE and Systems editoriale) spreading the game in
Italy; Italians, who wanted to buy the original programs often
fall into serious difficulties. Using such a strange state of
affairs (Multiple computers with no software), two
Publishers (SIPE and SODIP) was born a great idea: they made
games-without-acquiring the rights to them. Their actions were
simple: they took the original version of the game, changed all
the text in it. First of all they changed the name of the game,
then changed the name the manufacturer to the journal title
(s), authors' names - the names of programmers who translate
all the other texts in Italian, added a short description of
the game in a small magazine, and finally spread the game
through newspaper stalls. They made tapes, which were 5-13
games on each side (Mainly for the C64 and Spectrum): 20/26/30
Game of the tape.
The idea worked, because nobody bought legal rights to
selling games, and nobody could stop them - except themselves
vendors who, as I said, ignored
Italy. There were no advertising campaigns that
Italians reported about what was happening, and magazines sold
through newspaper stalls, where all of them have seen the vast
majority of Italians were convinced that the games were
genuine. SIPE started their activities somewhere in 1982,
publishing two magazines (Playgames and program, for the
Spectrum and Commodore Vic 20). Thanks 'Inattention' by vendors
to the Italian market, number of journals grew rapidly, and
other publishers have followed example SIPE. In 1986 SIPE
published for 9 journals: Special program (C64 and Spectrum
48K), Special Playgames (C64 and spectrum 48K), Top playgames
(only C64), I magnifici 7 (only C64), Adventure 64 (only C64),
Wargames (only C64), Playgames (Only Spectrum), Program (only
Spectrum), HitParade Spectrum (Only Spectrum). Electronic
copies of these magazines can be found on my site
http://zxspectrum.hal.varese.it/cassette.htm. In 1986 was a lot
of publishers have followed the example: Edigamma / Pubblirome
(Supergame 2000), Elettronica2000 (Load'n'Run) ... It was a
prelude to the development of piracy, it is logically arisen.
In fact, manufacturers are able to benefit from this market, so
it was very difficult to take any countermeasures. For example,
SIPE sued Jackson JCE, as they published under the fake name
"HALFPENNY FAMILY" game "WALLY FAMILY" for the C64, a game in
which Jackson bought the rights. SIPE lost to the process, and
still later published in the journal same game, a version for
Spectrum.
A few years on the stage was dominated by Italy game,
distributed by publishers acting on the example of SIPE. Later,
the situation changed. In fact, breaking and changing titles of
video games together with the writing instructions in Italian,
was rabotenka difficult, and the number of games is
continuously growing, so SIPE face increasing difficulties in
competition from other groups, directly distributing
cracked versions of games. These groups operated in Italy, as
well As in most European countries: buying a broken game
hackers were recorded on tape / CDs and distribute them. One
of the most famous Italian distributors of this kind
were ALGA SOFT, who sold the game in Naples and the south
Italy. Mostly, they took the game from F4CG. I must say that
while the actions of groups such as SIPE were partially
illegal (partly because of Italian laws that
time, if nobody bought the rights, nobody could claim
them), then the actions were ALGA SOFT TOP OF ILLEGAL (ALGA
SOFT were not even registered publishers and did not pay
taxes). Despite this, increasing the efficiency of the second
system represented a real threat to "legal" publishers. SIPE,
in fact, could not issue more than 10-13 games in a journal
since had to fight hard work, but have ALGASOFT
there were no problems with the publication of 15/30 games in 1
room. Printing problem Instructions in Italian to the games was
"solved" because magazines like ZZAP!! at that time had already
released them. The current situation has led to the fact that
Italy was the 2-th country in terms of piracy. But it led to
what in Italy is incredibly increased number of users of
Spectrum and C64, as can be was to find a game at very low
prices. Piracy has led to mass adverse effects. It has caused
damage to producers programs, producing the original games. It
also prevented the development of Italian manufacturers of
programs - each Italian programmer knew that the creation of
the game is not quite bring no income, and the best way to make
money - it ... become cracker. This meant that for many years
in Italy, it was written very few video games.
Have there been something, you ask? Yes, it changed for the
worse side. The situation deteriorated to the spread of
computer Amiga. In period when the Amiga was the crowd at the
Spectrum and C64 Italian market, some manufacturers have
programs pay attention to what is happening in Italy. Not only
because they were lost revenues, but also because in Italy
such a situation, the fate of luminaries become a giant computer
piracy. Producers of programs are faced with many problems.
The first real obstacle was the lack of laws in Italy,
relating specifically to the software industry, and therefore
even file a lawsuit against the illegal distribution was not
so simple. The second obstacle is that the power
pirate organizations has gone beyond all possible limits. Same
Camorra (the Neapolitan equivalent of the Sicilian Mafia) did
a lot of money on illicit gaming. The first problem
been solved by introducing appropriate laws on software
software. But then there was another hurdle: very high
money games - based on the fact that in Italy really were (and
ostayustsya) only two major importer of games: LEADER and the
CTO.
