Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2
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From: greg@hoss.unl.edu (Life...)
Subject: Re: ACOS/GBBS (was: Re: MD-BASIC (was: Re: Apple ][ BBS Software))
Message-ID: <1991Jun14.165445.14915@unlinfo.unl.edu>
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Nntp-Posting-Host: hoss.unl.edu
Organization: GBBS/ACOS Sysop Support
References: <1991Jun14.041609.25607@crash.cts.com>
Date: Fri, 14 Jun 1991 16:54:45 GMT
Lines: 53

dzimmerman@gnh-tff.cts.com (Daniel Zimmerman) writes:
>greg@hoss.unl.edu (Life...) writes:
>>dzimmerman@gnh-tff.cts.com (Daniel Zimmerman) writes:
>>>greg@hoss.unl.edu (Lig Lury Jr.) writes:

>>>>if Lancey discovers you are running MACOS instead of ACOS, you can
>>>>kiss all rights to upgrades and support away.

>>>MACOS is just what its name says, "Modified ACOS"... If you have paid for
>>>ACOS and are legally running a GBBS, you can do whatever the heck you want
>>>to it, including modifying ACOS, since you paid for the thing... Running a
>>>board off MACOS when you never bought ACOS is another story, though...

>>However, it isn't you that modified ACOS, it was a third party
>>distributing the modified version.  That in itself is illegal.  Since you
>>are then running a knock off of ACOS, not real ACOS, I believe L&L can
>>refuse support for that product.  Why should he support something he never
>>wrote (MACOS)?

>I didn't say he should support MACOS... I DID say that he can't refuse you
>support of ACOS if you wish to upgrade it, if you own a legally obtained copy.

However, it is the legal status of MACOS which he is using to justify
cutting you out of support.  Plus, remember you aren't running ACOS.
Therefore, any questions you may have on the language are questions about
MACOS, not ACOS.  They don't apply.  Also, you can't expect him to help
you with GBBS "Pro", since it isn't running in its approved language
anymore.  Who knows if it was a bug in the stock code or something wrong
with your compiler, which isn't the approved one.

>Just because you bought ACOS and are registered with Lance doesn't mean you
>have to RUN it, but you are still entitled to support... 

If I switch to, say, METAL, I would still expect support for ACOS- and
GBBS-related problems.  I plan to still write code for that platform, and
retain ownership of it.  If then Lance tries to say that I'm not entitled
to it, he may have a legal battle.

I think there was something about loss of rights due to illegal activity.
Receiving a copy of MACOS that was not obtained before its distribution
was halted I think would fit in that category.  MACOS itself is illegal.

>Besides, it doesn't say anywhere in the GBBS manual that modifying ACOS is
>illegal. As long as one owns a legal copy, one is entitled to support (unless
>you copy it for others)..

>Daniel M. Zimmerman             InterNet - dzimmerman@gnh-tff.cts.com

--
///   ____   \\\ "The major problem--one of the major problems, for there are
| |/ /    \ \| |       several--one of the many major problems with governing
 \\_|\____/|_//            people is of whom you get to do it, or more to the
greg \_\\\/ hoss.unl.edu    point, who gets people to let them do it to them."