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7.6 KiB
HTML
191 lines
7.6 KiB
HTML
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<!--startcut ==========================================================-->
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<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 3.2//EN">
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<HTML>
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<HEAD>
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<title>LinuxCAD LG #41</title>
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</HEAD>
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<BODY BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#000000" LINK="#0000FF" VLINK="#0000AF"
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ALINK="#FF0000">
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<!--endcut ============================================================-->
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<H4>
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"Linux Gazette...<I>making Linux just a little more fun!</I>"
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</H4>
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<P> <HR> <P>
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<!--===================================================================-->
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In our July 1998 issue, we printed an article called <A
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HREF="../issue30/wuest.html">LinuxCAD Impressions</A> by Robert Wuest. In the
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interest of fair play, here is the official response to that review from
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Software Forge, Inc.
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<P> <HR> <P>
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<center>
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<H1><font color="maroon">Official Reaction of Software Forge Inc. to "LinuxCAD Review"</font></H1>
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<H4>By <a href="mailto:Unixguy@aol.com">Robert Weaver, President Software
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Forge Inc.</a></H4>
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</center>
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<P> <HR> <P>
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To put this in context let us briefly answer the question "What is
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LinuxCAD?":
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<P>
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LinuxCAD, <A HREF="http://www.linuxcad.com/">http://www.linuxcad.com/</A>,
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is an AutoCAD for Linux for all practical purposes it implements
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all major features of ACAD in such a way that new users (who had ACAD
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experience before)
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do not need any additional training to start working with LinuxCAD).
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<P>
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But more then that LinuxCAD is a general purpose visual modelling system
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that runs on
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all Unix platforms (Linux, LinuxPPC, Solaris x86, RS/6000, BSDI, FreeBSD,
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Solaris SPARC,
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SCO UNIX) and on Windows NT.
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<P>
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LinuxCAD can be used in:
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<ul>
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<li> Software Development Flowcharting
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<li> Entity Relationship Diagramming
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<li> Network planning
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<li> System Administration Diagramming and you actually can start
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your sysadmin tasks from inside LinuxCAD
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<li> Mechanical Engineering drafting
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<li> PCB and schematic design (easily integrated with routing programs)
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<li> Geographicsl Information Systems,
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<li> Any kind of drafting where integration with database is important
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<li> Floor plans for buildings and facilities
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<li> Architectural Drafting
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<li> Front end for programmable rendering systems like OpenGL
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<li> Front end for any software that may require graphics editor functions
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<li> Can be used to replace ACAD in every application later is used!!!
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</ul>
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LinuxCAD as general purpose CAD and Visual Modelling System directly
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competes
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with CAD system AutoCAD by Autodesk which currently approaching status of
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complete monopoly
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in CAD marketplace as Microsoeft is in Operating Systems.
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<P>
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Do the math yourself:
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<P>
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To do typical CAD works you need to install so called "AutoCAD for PCs" on
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Windows NT workstation:
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<ul>
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<li> AutoCAD for PCs costs $2900 a copy
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<li> AutoCAD upgrade alone costs $400 at least or more (up to a dealer).
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<li> Windows NT costs $200 or more.
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</ul>
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<P>
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You can replace all of the above to:
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<ul>
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<li> Linux which is free
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<li> LinuxCAD which is only $99
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</ul>
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You have at the least $500 in savings per one drafters workstation,
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if you are new user you will save $3000 in comparison to AutoCAD!
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<P>
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LinuxCAD indirectly competes with Microsoft as well, although we support
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Windows NT.
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We do not distinguish it as main or dominant platform and we trying to level
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the platforms
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as it relates to LinuxCAD with emphasize to Linux for Intel as main platform
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for LinuxCAD.
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<P>
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LinuxCAD captures the most important aspects of ACAD as: entity selection
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mechanism,
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same dialog in the command line, object snaps (as intersect, mid, center
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, tangent, perpend
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and others), LinuxCAD allows to use SHX formats and can exchange data to
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ACAD and many
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other systems.
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<P>
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<HR>
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<P>
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LinuxCAD imposes tremendous threat to Autodesk, as it provides all the
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features the
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AutoCAD provides including programable AutoCAD's architecture. More then that
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LinuxCAD
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allows smooth transition from AutoCAD to LinuxCAD without additional training.
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<P>
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In any case: about 70% of 2D drafting works and 50% at least of 3D works
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may be done
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in $99 LinuxCAD on Linux instead of $3000 Acad on Ms-NT. Every sale of
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LinuxCAD translates
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to automatic $3000 loss to Autodesk, THAT IS WHY MR ROBERT WUEST is out there
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trying to discredit us. They are afraid of the LinuxCAD, the product that
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has achieved that
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kind of major market impact and user support as LinuxCAD has achieved, just
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in one year!
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<P>
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They want not to allow us to grow, now when we are small, and they have
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used that review
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to do it. Autodesk wants again to rob the consumer from his right to choose
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as they did it with Generic CADD
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and many other small CAD packages! But they are not succeding this time!
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<P><HR> <P>
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Our official responce to LinuxCAD review is long overdue and here it is:
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<ul>
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<li> The review does not reflect reality and it is outdated.
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<li> The business goes as usual, we ship LinuxCAD immediately after receiving
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your orders, we are continuing
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our development efforts, THE QUALITY OF LINUXCAD HAS IMPROVED 10 TIMES OVER
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SINCE THAT REVIEW WAS WRITTEN.
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<li> Not one, not hundreds of organized fraudulent reviews will stop us from
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commitment to our product.
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<li> Consumers can relay on LinuxCAD in the long run, especially Enterprise
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Customers will be provided
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with exceptional support and with great volume discounts.
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So far we have promised half year of free downloads for new versions when
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we started a year ago,
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and no one really has been cut off from new versions. We have denied
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upgrades to only one customer:<BR>
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the author of that fraudulent review. <BR>
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Users of LinuxCAD are actually getting more then a year of free
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upgrades and that may last even longer, we have no reason to cut people off--
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we got enough new customers out there.
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<li> The review also distorts our pricing policy:
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<ul>
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<li> We sell LinuxCAD (all modules and extension included) for one flat
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price - $99. (for Intel).
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<li> $99 includes: All 2D, 3D, printing, plotting, programming
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extension, all again included
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<li> in $99 for Linux Intel platform.
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</ul>
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<li> The reason that demo is available only from time to time: because of
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significant workload we carry
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supporting LinuxCAD on great variety of platforms , supporting and regularly
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synchronising demo version would
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waste our efforts, although we looking to release demo at a time and place
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of our choice.
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<li> LinuxCAD is something every Linux user can benefit from and not only
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designers and drafters.
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<li> LinuxCAD in our opinion will give entirely new face and capabilities to
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your Linux desktop,
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moves it one step close to Linux worldwide dominance.
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</ul>
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We are hard working, good guys!
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Disregard that "anti-Linux" lie you may have seen in that review!
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<P>
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Robert Weaver, President<BR>
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Software Forge Inc. (makers of the leading CAD product for UNIX and X/Windows), http://www.linuxcad.com
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<!--===================================================================-->
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<P> <hr> <P>
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<center><H5>Copyright © 1999, Robert Weaver <BR>
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Published in Issue 41 of <i>Linux Gazette</i>, May 1999</H5></center>
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<!--===================================================================-->
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<P> <hr> <P>
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<A HREF="./index.html"><IMG ALIGN=BOTTOM SRC="../gx/indexnew.gif"
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ALT="[ TABLE OF CONTENTS ]"></A>
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ALT="[ FRONT PAGE ]"></A>
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<A HREF="./ayers2.html"><IMG SRC="../gx/back2.gif"
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ALT=" Back "></A>
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<A HREF="./rogers.html"><IMG SRC="../gx/fwd.gif" ALT=" Next "></A>
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<P> <hr> <P>
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<!--startcut ==========================================================-->
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</BODY>
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</HTML>
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<!--endcut ============================================================-->
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