Things are still getting worked out. It is not entirely clear yet what the situation post-transaction will be. The details of acquirer and transaction will not be available for a while. Litsoft may remain as a separate entity or the technology may be folded into a larger project/product. This is a great exit for Litsoft.
This post is just to get some early info out on the potential impact for those that may be using Across Lite software or the puzzle formats.
1. The availability of free Across Lite software will end at some point. While it may continue to be be available from entities that have licensed it, it will likely be restricted in its use. Or it may be completely withdrawn from the market for a while.
2. Commercial versions of the program may appear in the future for specific verticals.
3. There will be stricter restrictions on the use of Litsoft intellectual property including its puzzle formats (which should be irrelevant if there is no free software behind it). The hosted publishing service by uploading crosswords will remain and will likely be the only allowed usage of Litsoft software for a while. Outside that, people should no longer look at the .puz format as the means to distribute crosswords except under licensing arrangements. The acquiring entity will likely enforce copyrights and patents much more strictly than Litsoft going forward including infringements on copyrighted features of Across Lite program itself.
These difficult decisions were determined by the current state of the industry as well as potential for the future and the direction of technology.
More as details become available.
We are pleased to announce that the next generation of crossword solvers from Litsoft, including Across Lite, on computers and mobile devices will embed a new and revolutionary version of Alex Boisvert’s Crossword Butler Service within them. Continue reading →
Before getting into the nitty-gritty of copyrights and patent protections of crosswords (and software), it would be useful to understand why the world of commercial digital content is in such a messy situation especially with what technology has enabled.
I will illustrate one type of conflict with the curious incident, back in June of this year, involving The New York Times and an iPad newsreader app called Pulse written by two Stanford University students. Continue reading →
Before I get to the copyright issues, a post on our initiation into the darker side of the crossword business which is no different than any other business – warts and all. The contents of this post will not be surprising to anyone who has done any competitive business in any field but some may be surprised at such things going on in what is considered to be a fairly harmless and highly intellectual pastime. Continue reading →
The previous posts made a case that the current trajectory for the crossword industry is in a direction opposite to where we should be going – to keep the art form alive and thriving. Assuming that we manage to reverse course with the constructive suggestions, what kind of business models will likely be sustainable in the new world? Which ones are unlikely to be sustainable and furthermore may even be destructive?
Continue reading →
Gordon Bethune, ex-CEO of Continental Airlines once remarked in reference to United Airlines -”The inmates are running the asylum.” If he had looked at the crosswords industry, I suspect he would have expressed the same sentiments. Continue reading →
Another detour from the promised post in the series. As I started to write about solutions for branding and differentiation, I realized that I hadn’t made a clear case for the industry participants, who now live in their own silos, to co-operate on such efforts. Without such co-operation and an unified front, the marketing required to rejuvenate the industry would be difficult to execute logistically. Continue reading →
In the last post, I listed four categories for change in the crossword industry to move forward. There may be questions on many people’s minds as to what “move forward” means and why it is necessary. Valid questions.
So, before I continue with the next category of change and solutions, I will slip in a post to address this important issue to prevent losing at least some of the audience to “where is the problem?”. Continue reading →
I find the analogy in the title apt and illuminating for several reasons:
- There is the equivalent of a Two-Buck Chuck in the crossword industry Continue reading →
I will begin to look at some of the pricing-related issues facing the crossword industry by starting at the source of the value chain – authors and crossword content creation. Continue reading →
