Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!cs.utexas.edu!usc!apple!well!dsmall
From: dsmall@well.UUCP (David Small)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: A LEGAL Mac emulator!
Message-ID: <14888@well.UUCP>
Date: 10 Dec 89 00:27:12 GMT
References: <3268@brazos.Rice.edu> <1989Nov30.185438.6755@sun.soe.clarkson.edu> <21924@brunix.UUCP>
Reply-To: dsmall@well.UUCP (David Small)
Organization: Whole Earth 'Lectronic Link, Sausalito, CA
Lines: 43


The note-thread discusses the legality of purchasing Mac ROMS, System, and
Finder.

	I have no comment. See next paragraph.

	People, please, please be careful about giving legal judgements as
anything but your own personal opinion ("..in my personal opinion .."). Even
that may not be enough. I was told in no uncertain terms that only attorneys
can render legal opinions, and if someone gets upset about what you write,
they can use it against you.

	I am not giving you this advice to advocate restraint of free speech,
which I very much favor, nor to mindlessly irritate you. As many people know,
Gadgets is currently involved in a "replevin" action against Data Pacific, and
a "libel" action against Happy Computers, plus their respective presidents.
Many of the comments I have made online are included as exhibits in those
suits and are the actual subjects of those suits. (Curious? Look at the GEnie
conference, May '88, in which I discussed whether or not to do the 128K
Mac emulator.) I am just giving you this advice from some rather bad
personal experience; while expressing your opinion online, *be careful*. I
would recommend spending the bucks to get a legal opinion from a computer
literate attorney (they're broken out by category in the yellow pages)
on how you should word your comments.

	I have no comment on ROM procurement / System-Finder procurement.
It is my personal opinion that I made very sure, to the tune of large lawyer
fees, that the ROMs could be had -- call up Pre-Owned Electronics and see.
Still, if you see a license and are bound by it, I think you should stick
to it.

	Personally, the thought of someone telling me what I may or may not
do with chips I paid big dollars for is ... you can imagine. I can just see
Radio Shack:"What is your intended use for this 74LS04? An assault weapon?".

	Please be careful. While it is one of the first cases, you can *bet*
that more libel actions will be brought by manufacturers whose products are
criticized online, as manufacturers realize the power of the medium. USENET
may be the biggest of them all.

	-- thanks, Dave / Gadgets by Small

Suggestions for what toputin a witty address line are welcome. I'm senile.