Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!helios!auvvidl From: auvvidl@auvc14.tamu.edu (Mike Vidlak) Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.misc Subject: Re: Mac Copyright/Patent Message-ID: Date: 10 Apr 91 15:19:47 GMT References: <20266@brahms.udel.edu> <10957@bunny.GTE.COM> Sender: usenet@helios.TAMU.EDU Organization: Dept. of Computer Science, Texas A&M University Lines: 58 In-reply-to: CAH0@bunny.gte.com's message of 10 Apr 91 13:59:33 GMT In article <10957@bunny.GTE.COM> CAH0@bunny.gte.com (Chuck Hoffman) writes: Path: helios!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!lll-winken!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!usc!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!hsdndev!bunny!bunny.gte.com!CAH0 From: CAH0@bunny.gte.com (Chuck Hoffman) Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.misc Date: 10 Apr 91 13:59:33 GMT References: <20266@brahms.udel.edu> Sender: news@gte.com Organization: GTE Laboratories, Inc. Lines: 37 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, cah0@bunny.gte.com | but I am sure that while we're Telephone (U.S.A.) 617-466-2131 | here, we're supposed to help GTE VoiceNet: 679-2131 | each other. GTE Telemail: C.HOFFMAN | There is a difference between copyrights and patents. I won't go into why you should use copyrights over patents or vice-versa, there are a number of good articles in print that cover that. Email me if you want some sources. When an author files a copyright with the Copyright Office, once approved, it remains in effect for the lifetime of the author plus 50 years. If a copyright is filed by multiple authors (aka a corporation or company like Apple) it remains in effect for only 75 years, irregardless of the current status of the authors. Patents, once approved by the Patent Office, remain in effect for 17 years. I am sure there are ways to extend all of these, however, I am not familiar enough to comment on them. -- Michael Vidlak mvidlak@cs.tamu.edu auvvidl@auvsun1.tamu.edu