The Editor's Soapbox
 
 Maps are copyrighted.  This means that a flyer showing directions to
 a fund-generating event can not legally contain a copy of a map or
 portion of the map without express written consent from the map's
 copyright holder.
 
 To prevent copyright abuse, mapmakers often put fictious streets or
 cul-de-sacs in their map designs and they give these non-existent
 streets the names of close friends or relatives.  Should a 
 mapmaker's work appear in a commercial publication without prior
 approval or listing credit due, the mapmaker can then prove without
 any doubt that the map in question is his/her original design by
 pointing out the ficticous streets he or she added.
 
 It appears that a wargame company may have been caught in the
 mapmaker's trap.  Later in this issue there is an article from 
 Richard Berg covering Fresno Games latest game releases.  Of
 particular note is the "Loutsch" issue.  Did Fresno Games copy parts
 of Rich Berg's Bloody April game design without listing credit due?
 Maybe, maybe not, we'll let the gamers decide.
 
 Suffice to say that this is probably our most controversial issue to
 date, but it is our policy to accept any review or commentary we
 receive for publication as long as it sticks to the facts and issues
 at hand and doesn't restore to mud-slinging.
 
 Terry Shrum of Fresno Games has been contacted regarding this issue
 and he said that Fresno Games does have the historical reference for
 General Loutsch.  Fair enough, Simulations Online is based on the
 principle of fairness and that opposing viewpoints are ALWAYS
 welcome.  Simulations Online offers Terry Shrum (or anyone else for
 that matter) the opportunity to use Simulations Online to cite their
 references.
 
 And again, I STRONGLY encourage wargamers to write and to become part
 of this process and magazine.  The entire goal of Simulations Online
 is to provide the hobby with news and information unfiltered by
 publishers private agendas and other "third party" interests.
 
 Happy Thanksgiving!
 Peter T. Szymonik