Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!uwm.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!usc!pollux.usc.edu!papa
From: papa@pollux.usc.edu (Marco Papa)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: Tetris-type lawsuits....
Keywords: Tetris Tetrix Fred Fish Spectrum Holobyte Garbage Lawsuit Look And Feel
Message-ID: <24606@usc.edu>
Date: 9 May 90 19:00:22 GMT
References: <3450@bingvaxu.cc.binghamton.edu>
Sender: news@usc.edu
Organization: Felsina Software, Los Angeles, CA
Lines: 26

In article <3450@bingvaxu.cc.binghamton.edu> consp11@bingvaxu.cc.binghamton.edu (Brett L. Kessler) writes:
>Here's a question:  If the PD (or Sharware - whatever) game was
>written for that platform _first_, then couldn't the author of that
>sue a company such as Spectrum Holobyte for infringing on the "look
>and feel" of that person's product?

Copyrights are not related to "platforms" in general, though it is usual
that multiple copyright filings be done when "major portions" of a program
are modified. The amount of major portions is not spelled out anywhere and
it has beeen decided by the courts on a case by case basis.  If only minor
portions are modified, no new filing is needed (even if the new code is for
a new "platform").  Developing a "clone/ripoff" of a program on another
platform is still infringement, plain and simple.

>This does, of course, depend upon whether or not the PD version
>contains the (C) notice in it's docs (or wherever).

PD (public domain) and copyrighted are MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE. Putting a 
copyright notice on a program AND a comment to the effect "this program
is public domain" is really dumb, and will make any claim of copyright
invalid for any practical purpose.

-- Marco
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
"Xerox sues somebody for copying?" -- David Letterman
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=