Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!usc!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!jato!jdickson From: jdickson@jato.jpl.nasa.gov (Jeff Dickson) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.programmer Subject: Re: Gfx Copyrights Message-ID: <1991May30.230305.13491@jato.jpl.nasa.gov> Date: 30 May 91 23:03:05 GMT References: <.snh5ag@rpi.edu> Reply-To: jdickson@jato.Jpl.Nasa.Gov (Jeff Dickson) Organization: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA Lines: 40 In article <.snh5ag@rpi.edu> kudla@jec313.its.rpi.edu (Robert J. Kudla) writes: >kumbach@ersys.edmonton.ab.ca (Kevin Umbach) writes: > >>them actually doing it at all so I wrote it myself. The problem I have in >>releasing the game is because I copied the graphics from the IBM version >>because I wanted my version to look EXACTLY like the IBM version. > >For whatever reason :) > >>Will I get myself into trouble by releasing this game? Should I go about >>asking the publisher for their permission to use their graphics? Do you >>think I would actually get their permission? > >Well, let's look at your options. > >If you release the game as pure public domain and anonymously, and not >even post to the net what game it is or anything, you'd get away with >it in all likelihood. > >If it's not PD but is FR, you stand a good chance of said publisher >not getting upset, or more likely, not even noticing you exist. If >your game becomes ridiculously popular and they decide to finally do a >commercial version, they may harrass Fred Fish. :) > >If you release the game as commercial and they notice, I hope you have >a lawyer handy :) > >-- >Robert Jude Kudla > You copied the graphics, not the software. That's a big difference! These days companies have temper tamptrums over the look and feel of soft- ware. I believe that Apple Computer had a big squabble with Xerox over this. I ferget, but something to do with Xerox GUI looking too much like the Macs. I'm sure that the people who replied earlier would just love it if you dumped this into the PD or made it FW, but that's not your only choice. Copyrights aren't supposed to protect look and feel, but some companies try to. Change the graphics some. Enough so that there is a noticeable difference. -jeff