Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!att!cbnews!pmd
From: pmd@cbnews.att.com (Paul Dubuc)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.zenith.z100
Subject: Re: Outdated ZDOS and CP/M
Message-ID: <1990Sep24.203250.2336@cbnews.att.com>
Date: 24 Sep 90 20:32:50 GMT
References: <1796@nemesis.stsci.edu> <1990Sep23.120249.4344@techbook.com>
Distribution: usa
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 36

In article <1990Sep23.120249.4344@techbook.com>, fzsitvay@techbook.com (Frank Zsitvay) writes:
> In article <1990Sep19.195650.16894@maverick.ksu.ksu.edu> mac@harris.cis.ksu.edu (Myron A. Calhoun) writes:
> >In article <12623219984.25.RDYSART@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL>... writes:
> >  
> >  [several lines deleted here 'n there]
> >
> >>	Since ZDS (Zenith Data Systems) has dropped the Z-100 line,
> >>Can we (US ALL ON THE NET) share Z-100 ZDS software???
> >
> >This IS an INTERESTING question!  I'd sure like to know the legal
> >ramifications, 'cause it might simplify my wife's acquisition of
> >Z-100 versions of MailMerge and Speller for WordStar.  Of course,
> >there's still the manual problem; photocopying is easy, but I
> >wonder if a "business" can own a copyright when the business is
> >defunct.
> >
>    look at it this way, do you think zenith is going to sue you because
> you made one too many copies of zdos??
>  
>    and if they do decide to spend the $$ to start an action, how will it
> look in court if zenith tries to deny someone from copying a piece
> of software when it is no longer available from the source that produced
> it??
> ... 

Another way to look at it (from their point of view):  Letting people freely
copy "outdated" software could be seen as cutting into the market for new
hardware and software.  They might reason that fewer people would by newer
computers and software if they could obtain better, but still unavailable
as new, software for just the trouble of copying it.  And, they would have
a point, I think ...
-- 
Paul Dubuc    |   "When freedom destroys order,
att!cbvox!pmd |   the yearning for order will destroy freedom."
	      |   		    Eric Hoffer
	      |