Fabrice Meuwissen interviewed (VSO Software)

11) In addition, the laws concerning the rights to the backup copy are going to change in European Community. Some of your competitors (Elaborate Bytes in particular) have preferred to quit the European Union for this reason. And you, what do you plan to do ?

As far as Elaborate Bytes, I don’t know the deep reasons of their relocate… Is Switzerland more welcoming for legals or fiscal reasons? In all ways, it’s a wrong reason, because the diffusion prohibiting of a software doesn’t depend on the geographic situation of it’s editor. Laws change effectively, in other hand all blank supports consummers (Brun-Buisson commission in France) are considered as pirates and pay a tax on the CD-R purchase… it’s a vast debate. Knowing that each land is a particular case, we’ll notice in chosen time.

12) It’s not a secrecy for anybody. You are regularly compared with CloneCD. What do you think about this comparison? Is that flattering or rather that becomes wearying (even irritating) to be compared ?

Nor tedious, nor annoying. Elby has began its activities at the good moment, when we did that only as a hobby. Blindread was developed before CloneCD, but at this time, it was only a hooby for us. CloneCD is sure a good product it won’t have the public favors.

However we have our « fan-club » too which often choose Blindwrite in all knowledges, which is rarely the contrary. Blindwrite being less well-known, it’s often considered as a 2nd choice, that’s explain only by the lack of notoriety and not due to the product quality. The proof, technologically talking, we are in advance on CloneCD.

We were the first to supply a graphical tool to analyze protected games using the latest Securom version. And at this day, this tool is used to have physical description files and to patch CloneCD images. We are very attentive to users feedbacks, and the multiple new versions of these last ones prove our reactivity. Not only, we correct problems when it’s possible, but we have introduce many true novelty in the last versions.

So, the version 4.2.4 introduce the Live Assist concept (online advices about BlindWrite parameters) usefull to make perfect backups, but also the AutoPlay option in the version 4.2.5 which allows to hide the ATIP. We were dependant of a third party tool (Insektor), we are now completely autonomous, and this on Windows 98/Me and 2000/XP.

13) Moreover, how are your relations with your competitors?

Personally I don’t have any contact with CloneCD, we share some interviews, nothing else. So they aren’t nor good nor bad with Elby. We have had some exchanges with Nero about the file format support. But I think we’ll meet all for the next Cebit.

14) After having tested the evaluation versions of your programs. How and where the user can it get your software? Are they marketed and distributed in France?

France is an aside case. We have distributors in Germany and in Japan, who commercialize box versions of our products. The contract for the distribution in France is signed with a prestigious editor, but will be available at the begining of the next year. We want to diffuse an irreproachable version on the french market.

Otherwise we have an online selling by the intermediate of 3 specialized recipients (ShareIt, Regnow, andPaypal) who accept CB, check payments, transfer; etc.. In the very special case of the France, and because some consumers aren’t « ready » to use their CB, we accept checks.

15) Do you plan to integrate a virtual drive into BlindWrite ? (like CloneCD or Alcohol 120%)

As far as the virtual drive, it’s planned, but as long time Daemon-Tools release regular updates and is free, it doesn’t take part of our more urgents priorities. We want to place on new products and for the moment 1:1 copies are still possible due to our latest versions.

16) What are the changes and major functions which you plan to add soon to your current softwares ? What are your projects for the future?

Well, without reveal surprises… Concerning the immediate future, we’ll add new fonctions to BlindWrite. Otherwise, Blindwrite V5 will dispose of a new interface. CopyToCD will support DVD .. (CopyToDVD ?)

Then, we are smack research and development on other products, but I won’t make any precipitate announcements. About a mastering software (like Nero) we don’t want to enter on this market. CopyToCD answer to this problematic. For the rest, we’ll develop add-ons (like PhotoCD, backup softwares) depending on request we receive. The version 4.2.4 of BlindWrite integrate, per example, the Live Assist and version 4.2.5 : AutoPlay.

Conclusion

Thanks to VSO-Software to have accepted this interview.