Xref: utzoo comp.databases:9245 misc.legal:24553
Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!swrinde!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!decwrl!fernwood!oracle!news
From: shobart@oracle.com (Sarah Groves Hobart)
Newsgroups: comp.databases,misc.legal
Subject: dBASE -- copyright invalidation
Keywords: dBASE, dBase, Dbase, database, copyright
Message-ID: <1991Mar21.221312.4815@oracle.com>
Date: 21 Mar 91 22:13:12 GMT
Reply-To: shobart@oracle.com (Sarah Groves Hobart)
Organization: Oracle Corporation, Belmont CA
Lines: 37



I'm a graduate student (Master's) at the University of California, Berkeley,
and I'm working on a final research paper concerning the recent dBASE copyright 
invalidation ruling.  I'd very much appreciate it if you would respond to
the brief survey below via e-mail.

Please note that I am currently employed by Oracle.  This research
paper has no relation to my work there.  The results of the survey will be
used strictly for my academic research paper.

If there is enough interest, I will post the summarized results of the
survey to the net.

Thank you!

Sarah Groves Hobart
======================================================================

In December 1990, U.S. District Court Judge Terrence Hatter invalidated
Ashton-Tate's copyrights on the dBASE line of products.  

1) Do you believe that this ruling will have an effect on Ashton-Tate's
   share of the PC database market?  If so, what effect do you think
   it will have?

2) Do you think this ruling will have an effect on database standards in the
   PC database market?  If so, what effect do you think it will have?

3) Would knowledge of this ruling affect your decision to use or buy
   dBASE?  If so, what effect would the knowledge have on your decision?

4) Please check the newsgroup in which you first read this survey:

		___ comp.databases

		___ misc.legal