Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!cs.utexas.edu!usc!apple!motcsd!mcdcup!mcdchg!ddsw1!corpane!sparks From: sparks@corpane.UUCP (John Sparks) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga Subject: Re: THE MEANING OF 'PUBLIC DOMAIN'...Lets define it!!! Keywords: PD, FREELY DISTRIBUTABLE, LEGAL, COPYRIGHT, Amiga Message-ID: <2619@corpane.UUCP> Date: 19 Jul 90 13:02:00 GMT References: <1990Jul14.043408.20134@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu> <157@cbmcel.UUCP> Organization: Corpane Industries, Inc., Louisville Ky Lines: 73 [I tried to email ya, but cbmcel doesn't exist. better find another path bud] In comp.sys.amiga Martin Stoller writes: >what 'PUBLIC DOMAIN' EXACTLY and LEGALLY means. I don't believe this has >been done before; if it has, we should check the validity of the definition. It is very well defined, Martin. >If PD where defined (legally), then one would know what one could allow to >become PD, and what one shouldn't bother programming/creating/etc... >V) STARTER: Here are some general ideas, which should sporn everyone to >participate: The 'COPYRIGHT', 'LEGAL' etc.. FILES or HEADERS of Files should >regulate WHAT a user of PD may do with the data. Each PD software MUST have >such a file, with (it is best so) the name of 'COPYRIGHT' or 'LEGAL'. Another >word for Public Domain is (and has been since the CBM PET!) >'FREELY DISTRIBUTABLE'. Should this stay a synonym, or should it become >separate, or a sub-devision of PD as 'SHARE-WARE' and 'FREE-WARE' have become? >A 'WORLD' rate should be settled on for the distribution of PD-DISKS, using >the method Fred Fish uses in pricing. The rate should be in US$ or Swiss >Francs, whichever is more practical. etc... Ideas wellcome!!! Well, Martin, you are starting off way off base. PD, Freeware, and Shareware are completly different things. PD = Public Domain. NOT COPYRIGHTED. you can do anything you want with something in the PD. The Author no longer owns or retains any rights to it. This is the legal definition. It belongs to the Public. ShareWare - A term used to denote freely distributable software that is copyrighted, and in which the author asks to be paid if you find his program usefull Freely Distributable - Any software that you can [legally] copy and pass around without having to buy it. This covers PD, Shareware, and Freeware. This is the term you should be using above when you are talking about PD. You meant Freely Distributable software. Freeware - Software that is free but which the author retains copyright. There is no charge for Freeware (or it would be shareware) but the author retains rights and can make certain restrictions to your use of the program. Like: You can't modify the program and pass the modified program around, or you have to include all files if you pass it on, etc. As far as charging for distributing freely distributable software, as Fred Fish does, he is not charging for the software but for his efforts in compiling them onto the disk. Depending on the person doing the compilation, they may or may not put a compilation copyright on the disk. A compilation copyright means that while you can copy any or all programs off the disk to your hearts content, you can't copy and re-distribute the entire disk as it stands. Fred doesn't do that I believe. You are free to copy Fish disks all you want. That's why Fish disks are everywhere. Or he may have a compilation copyright but may say you can copy the disks all you want as long as you don't try to sell them as *YOUR* collection. 'course theirs nothing stopping you from taking all the fish disks, rearanging the software in different order on different disks and calling it the Stoller Disks and selling them. Unless some of the software on Fish disks has a copyright and a restriction that says something like, "only for distrubution on Fish Disks". -- John Sparks | | D.I.S.K. 24hrs 2400bps. sparks@corpane.UUCP | | PH: (502) 968-DISK A door is what a dog is perpetually on the wrong side of. - Ogden Nash -- John Sparks | | D.I.S.K. 24hrs 2400bps. sparks@corpane.UUCP | | PH: (502) 968-DISK A door is what a dog is perpetually on the wrong side of. - Ogden Nash