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From: CAH0@bunny.gte.com (Chuck Hoffman)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.misc
Subject: Re: Mac Copyright/Patent
Message-ID: <10957@bunny.GTE.COM>
Date: 10 Apr 91 13:59:33 GMT
References: <20266@brahms.udel.edu>
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Organization: GTE Laboratories, Inc.
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In article <20266@brahms.udel.edu> thuyan@brahms.udel.edu (Thuy-An 
Hartman) writes:
> I am wondering if anyone knows when the patent/copyright for MAC is
> going to run out.  I heard that it will be this year and I was wondering
> if I should wait and buy a clone rather than a MAC.
> 
> If you do not know, but perhaps know where I could find out, this would
> be a great help.
> 
> Please e-mail to me as I do not get the opportunity to read rn often.

I did e-mail this to the writer, but thought it would be of general 
interest in this group, anyway.  Here's a copy of the e-mail:

The information about Mac copyright and patent is probably incorrect.  In 
the U.S., the base Mac, or component of a Mac, would have a copyright good 
for 17 years.  Then each improvement or upgrade to the Mac or a component 
would be protected for 17 years from the time of the upgrade.  Copyrights 
last 75 or 50 years, depending on how the work was created, and can be 
extended if the author is still alive.

You may have heard talk of a Mac clone coming.  If this is true, and if 
the manufacturer does not have Apple's permission, then it would have to 
be created either from original engineering, or from information and 
technology generally available (such as from published interface 
specifications).

There also has been talk, and only talk, that there is some concern that 
the Mac may be using some technology developed for an old Xerox system.  
If this were true, then Apple's copyrights might have to be reviewed.


- Chuck Hoffman, GTE Laboratories, Inc.  |  I'm not sure why we're here,
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