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From: bass@dmsd.UUCP (John Bass)
Newsgroups: net.micro.atari16
Subject: re: writing to Apple about MacCartridge
Message-ID: <230@dmsd.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 14-Apr-86 23:50:51 EST
Article-I.D.: dmsd.230
Posted: Mon Apr 14 23:50:51 1986
Date-Received: Sun, 20-Apr-86 05:25:44 EST
References: <8604060607.AA07358@ucbvax.berkeley.edu> <2093@uwmacc.UUCP>
Organization: DMS Design, San Luis Obispo Office, CA
Lines: 43
Summary: a copyright is a copyright, AND A LICENSE IS A LICENSE

In article <2093@uwmacc.UUCP>, demillo@uwmacc.UUCP (Rob DeMillo) writes:
> A question about MacCartridge:
> 
>    Did I miss something? Why should *anyone* care about Apple's approval?
> If the thing was made *wothout* any Apple software or hardware, what
> legal claim do they have to prevent this fellow from selling them? 
> 
> There's a thousand-and-one IBM PC/XT clones on the market, as well as
> a hundred-and-one UNIX look-alike systems, as well as...
> 
> Apple tried to stop distribution of GEMDOS, and they lost...and they
> should have, look-alikes and compatable components are *not* copyright
> infrigements...at least not the last time I looked....

The clones go one step over of the mark ... If I produced a "Star Wars"
movie "clone" with a similar script, plot, names, and ending the courts would
knock it down in a flash -- even though it was "original" work BASED OR NOT
on the real movie.

The clones go WAY OVER the copyright mark by using restraint of trade as the
issue against the "big bully IBM" -- if the PC was produced by a middle
weight company like Altos or Dual they would be struck down in a flash with
copyright infringement based on "derivative works" or outright piracy.

There are dozens of ways to re-write "Return of the Jedi" most would not fly
in the face of a copyright suit .... I don't know why computer jocks are
so dam fire sure they are immune to REAL copyright infringment proceedings.
Rewriting/coding some ones program (bios, application, utility or OS) is
the same is rewriting a movie --- if not legally corrupt, it is clearly morally
corrupt.

Apple doesn't have much say about the manufacture of the cartridge if it doesn't
contain Apple code when shipped .... they have a lot to say about where their
roms go. If there isn't any fine print about License of the code, they can
make service spare roms an inventory item and place a $1,000 charge/credit
on them to insure that the roms are used to replace defectives in the
field.

-- 

John Bass (DBA: Fastime, DBA:DMS Design)
DMS Design (System Design, Performance and Arch Consultants)
{dual,fortune,polyslo,hpda}!dmsd!bass     (805) 546-9141