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From: olsen@hpfcdq.HP.COM (John Olsen)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: Disk recall notice
Message-ID: <4710018@hpfcdq.HP.COM>
Date: 11 Jun 90 14:51:00 GMT
References: <113@fishpond.UUCP>
Organization: Hewlett-Packard - Fort Collins, CO
Lines: 37

terry@helios.ucsc.edu (Terry Ricketts) writes:

>    It is too late now to stuff this cat into the bag. The PD versions of
>Tetris have been out too long and spread too far. The most Spectrum Holobyte
>can do is preasure people like Fred & make public posturings.  [...]

gwangung@milton.acs.washington.edu (Roger Tang) writes:

>	The Russian inventor of Tetris invents the game.
>	He markets the game internationally.
>	He licenses the game to Spectrum Holobyte, who is responsible for
>distributing and protecting HIS rights.
>	Clones appear, ripping off the Tetris name.  This hurts not only
>Spectrum Holobyte as AMerican distributor but the original, Russian author.

First mistake.  Some of the games do not infringe on the name.  The ones
that do can be renamed.  The two most recent versions that appeared on the
Fish disks also have extended features and *major* differences form the 
original tetris game, like simultaneous two player modes and new pieces.  
They can be termed "derivative works" instead of "clones".

>	Spectrum Holobyte moves to protect its rights as distributor and
>the rights of the Russian author.
>	And YOU TELL ME THAT THIS IS BAD????

In the cases where the games bear a great similarity, or where they use
a name derived from the copyrighted "Tetris" name, SH *should* do what they
have done.  In the other cases, SH is just strongarming people.

Fred Fish is being very polite and gentlemanly by stopping distribution
after receiving a letter from the president of SH.  I personally will keep
recommending and distributing (with good conscience) the ones that I feel 
are not "clones" until I hear of a real legal decision stating that they 
are an infringement.  I don't believe such a statement will ever be made.

John Olsen
olsen@hpfcdq.HP.COM