Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Path: utzoo!utdoe!david
From: david@doe.utoronto.ca (David Megginson)
Subject: Re: PD distributors
Message-ID: <1990Oct22.174915.11656@doe.utoronto.ca>
Organization: Dictionary of Old English Project - U of Toronto
References: <3605@mindlink.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 22 Oct 90 17:49:15 GMT

In article <3605@mindlink.UUCP> a1318@mindlink.UUCP (Kent Cavaghan) writes:
>     I have noticed that many of the programs coming across the net
>will not allow their distribution by way of PD software
>distributors.As well,some do not will their software to be distributed
>on commercial systems such as Genie and Compu-serve.
>
>     I wish to know why such a prejudice?(No flame,I am just curious)

GEnie tries to keep people from redistributing files on the system, even
if they are freeware or PD (remember, these are not synonymous). Their
rules state that you cannot redistribute _any_ file, but since that was
ridiculously unenforceable, I have heard that they only copyright the
collection as a whole now. I think that a lot of people find this policy
about as offensive as Apple's "Look and Feel" lawsuits.

I have never been on GEnie, and report the rules only second-hand. I
like the net because it's free, open, and everyone is very helpful (it's
nice to help other people too).


David Megginson

-- 
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/  David Megginson                      david@doe.utoronto.ca          /
/  Centre for Medieval Studies          meggin@vm.epas.utoronto.ca     /
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