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From: tim@ism780c.UUCP (Tim Smith)
Newsgroups: net.micro.mac
Subject: Re: Posting software from Compuserve
Message-ID: <3828@ism780c.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 10-Oct-86 15:55:09 EDT
Article-I.D.: ism780c.3828
Posted: Fri Oct 10 15:55:09 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 11-Oct-86 21:45:33 EDT
References: <812@gould9.UUCP>
Reply-To: tim@ism780c.UUCP (Tim Smith)
Organization: Interactive Systems Corp., Santa Monica, CA
Lines: 67

In article <812@gould9.UUCP> joel@gould9.UUCP (Joel West) writes:
>According to October 6, 1986 InfoWorld:
>	   Compuserve Information Service has threatened a bulletin
>	board operator with legal action for offering on his board
>	public domain programs he obtained on-line from Compuserve.
>	   Compuserve, a common source for public domain programs,
>	said it considered the entire contents of its service to be
>	copyrighted, a pokciy that caused user outcry when it was
>	first adopted last year....
>	   [The BBS operator] received a registered letter from
>	Compuserve's attorneys stating that he was infringing on
>	Compuserve's copyright.  The letter threatened him with
>	civil and criminal action...
>
>This is a good example of why I subscribe to USENET and not to
>Compuserve.
>
This is a good example of why I don't subscribe to Infoworld.

Here is what really happened:

	1. Someone logs into the BBS in question, and finds a lot
	of stuff that is *NOT* public domain that was downloaded
	from CIS ( Compuserve ).

	2. That person tells CIS.  CIS asks Neil Shapiro, chief
	Sysop of MAUG(tm) to see if this is true.

	3. Neil calls BBS.  Finds it is true.  Also finds an
	announcement that says that this BBS is downloading
	all the new stuff from the major networks every week,
	and for a $25 yearly fee to the BBS owner, there is
	no need to subscribe to CIS ( or any of the other
	networks ).

	3a. Neil also deleted from MAUG(tm) a message announcing
	this BBS, since it is against MAUG(tm) and CIS policy to
	allow announcements of competing commercial services,
	which this BBS clearly is.

	4. CIS lawyers tell BBS operator to stop making available
	copyrighted material without the permission of the
	copyright holder.

	5. Infoworld writes story without even contacting MAUG(tm)
	to find out their side of the story!

It is pefectly OK with CIS for people to distribute public domain stuff
that they get off of CIS.  For stuff that is copyrighted, CIS policy is
that you must get the permission of the copyright holder.

For example, I have two desk accessories on CIS at the moment.  One of
them ( Maxwell ) states that it is public domain.  CIS has no objection
to anyone doing whatever they want with it.

The other one ( HFS Find ) has a copyright notice.  If anyone distributes
that without asking me, CIS will be upset.  This seems very reasonable to
me.  I think it is nice that if I upload a coyrighted work to CIS, then
they will use their lawyers to enforce my rights.

-- 
member, all HASA divisions              POELOD  ECBOMB
					--------------
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Tim Smith       USENET: sdcrdcf!ism780c!tim   Compuserve: 72257,3706
		Delphi or GEnie: mnementh