Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!motcid!king
From: king@cell.mot.COM (Steven King)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: Dealers
Message-ID: <470@grape3.UUCP>
Date: 1 Dec 89 23:37:54 GMT
References: <4450@nigel.udel.EDU> <1989Nov29.220701.20519@i-core.UUCP> <60@uncmed.med.unc.edu>
Organization: Motorola Inc. - Cellular Infrastructure Div., Arlington Heights, IL 60004
Lines: 31

In article <60@uncmed.med.unc.edu> rhunt@med.unc.edu (Rick Hunt) writes:
>PS.  I was trying to put together a beginners disk to give to the Software 
>Etc. so they could copy it and bundle it with their Amigas.  This was so 
>they could put a sign up that said "5 DISKS OF FREE SOFTWARE WITH THE 
>PURCHASE OF EVERY AMIGA".  It was going to have PD and shareware and a 
>promo for our user group TAU.  I had written a short note explaining the 
>concept of shareware, why piracy hurt the software market, and why user 
>groups were useful.  The store refused to take it if it had any shareware 
>because they are afraid that the authors might sue if they made money on a 
>computer by giving away their software.  I tried to explain to them why 
>this was not a problem but they would not listen.  Am I wrong or could this 
>be a problem?  I am also ignorant of the law >:-).

If the ONLY way to get those disks from that dealership were to buy a new
Amiga, there might be some legal grounds for complaint on the part of the
shareware authors.  (Not that I think any of them WOULD complain, mind you,
but they might have grounds to.)  If the dealer also let anyone walk in off
the street and copy the software onto their own disks for no cost, then there's
nothing for the authors to complain about.  (Indeed, that's the whole idea of
shareware in the first place!)

Maybe the dealer was afraid of hurting his software sales by letting out good
shareware stuff?  1/2 :-)

"I'm an engineer, dammit, not a lawyer!"  Standard disclaimers to that effect.

-- 
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There's nothing in this world quite so dangerous   | Steve King  (708) 991-8056
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