The press release is NOT accurate. I worked for Abtech as an inhouse HP3000 expert.

Please note that HP shut down MULTIPLE businesses across the nation at the same time. They did it using the FBI High Tech Crime Task Force of which HP is the sole
company funding them. The FBI sold these companies stolen merchandise (can you spell entrapment?) and then "discovered" it during the raid.

HP has apparently changed the unwritten rules under which 3rd party refurbishers have operated peacefully since the HP3000 was born and not bothered to notify anybody
until it was time to stage the FBI raids. In my individual opinion, note I am no longer employed by Abtech, HP has tried to run the 3rd party refurbishers out of business by
judicial means when they could not compete in the marketplace. BTW, Abtech did $50,000,000 last year, they were a target worth pursuing.

Paul Courry
NO LONGER AN ABTECH EMPLOYEE, MY OPINIONS ARE THOSE OF AN INDIVIDUAL


On Tue, 23 Mar 1999 09:33:33 -0500, Joe Geiser wrote:

>On Tuesday, March 23, 1999 08:41, Shawn Gordon
>[mailto:[log in to unmask]] said,
>
>> Check out http://www.hp.com/pressrel/mar99/19mar99.htm if you haven't
>> already seen.  This is sad for folks in my area because
>> Abtech was a real quality reseller, the support was top notch and the
>machines
>> always looked like new.
>
>If the press release is accurate, and these companies did what HP alleges,
>then they messed up - regardless of what their products looked like when
>sold or their reputations... converting a 3000 to a 9000 and vice versa,
>without using the proper tools (the conversion kits) is illegal.
>
>To quote the press release:
>
>"In the suits, HP contends that used HP 9000 and HP 3000 computers purchased
>by these used-equipment brokers and resellers have been illegally
>reconfigured by the brokers into different, more valuable models of servers
>using unlawfully obtained, HP proprietary and copyrighted operating and
>utility programs. More specifically, HP alleges that the brokers have
>unlawfully reconfigured HP 9000 servers into more expensive HP 3000 servers,
>modified lower-level HP 3000 servers to higher-powered models and increased
>the number of users allowed access to a server at any one time. HP contends
>that all of these activities infringe its copyrights in the proprietary
>programs. "
>
>HP provides these tools for this express purpose.  The tools are proprietary
>and licensed.  People may not agree with it, but that's the case (from what
>I can see in the press release).
>
>These are high-volume resellers (and the one I work with is not on the list,
>either <whew>) -- and it's a shame.  It could have been an honest mistake -
>but the conversion kits must be purchased from HP... one cannot purchase the
>kit from a third party (at least that I know of).  They ain't cheap either.
>
>If you want to convert a 9000 to a 3000, you purchase a kit from HP.  The
>same holds true to go the other way (although why would someone want to do
>that? :)  If infringement occurred, then they get what they deserve - and if
>not, well then it will all come out in court.  HP dosen't file frivilous
>lawsuits, and more times than not, they have their ducks in a row when then
>do, and have more than likely tried to work with the vendor(s) first.
>
>Joe
>