Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!mnetor!seismo!columbia!rutgers!sri-spam!sri-unix!hplabs!sdcrdcf!usc-oberon!bacall!papa
From: papa@bacall.UUCP (Marco Papa)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: Unauthorized Sale of Redristributable Software
Message-ID: <2192@bacall.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 9-Nov-86 01:47:42 EST
Article-I.D.: bacall.2192
Posted: Sun Nov  9 01:47:42 1986
Date-Received: Tue, 11-Nov-86 20:45:51 EST
References: <8611020148.AA08257@cory.Berkeley.EDU> <383@ur-cvsvax.UUCP> <474@uwmacc.UUCP>
Organization: CS&CE Depts, U.S.C., Los Angeles, CA
Lines: 42

> In article <383@ur-cvsvax.UUCP> jea@ur-cvsvax.UUCP (Joanne Albano) writes:
> >In article <8611020148.AA08257@cory.Berkeley.EDU>, dillon@CORY.BERKELEY.EDU (Matt Dillon) writes:
> >> 
> >> 	Along the same lines, another way to combat such companies is to
> >> simply make it unprofitable for them to sell it...  Perhaps we could all
> >> ban together and put in an add in AmigaWord along side the company's add
> >> saying 'Hack V... etc... Public Domain and FREE'.
> >
> 
> I don't think Matt should give up on the legal route however. Since he has
> asked them nice not to do it, and as I assume the software is publicly
> redistributable, not public domain (there is a difference, if you don't
> want to allow people to rip you off like this LEAGALLY always include a
> copyright notice, with a declaration of intent that the work be freely
> redistributed on a not-for-profit basis.), he has REAL solid ground for
> a law suit. Since the case is so strong, and since copyright suits are
> triple damages (plus punative, I believe) I would be suprised if there
> weren't lawyers falling all over themselves to handle it for a cut of the
> settlement.
> 

Note that punitive damages can be obtained ONLY if the work has been copyrighted
and properly registered with the copyright office of the Library of Congress.
Otherwise, one can only collect "actual"damages, which basically meams $ 0.00.

> Important Disclaimer:
> I am not a lawyer, nor do I attempt to give leagal advice. I'm just the son
> of nationally syndicated journalists, and I've grown up hearing ALL about
> copyright law at the dinner table. (Thier column, if anyone cares, is called
> "The Business Computer" in most newspapers, we all have different last names
> in my family... its a long story...)

I am not a lawyer either, but I register the copyright on all my software
within the required 3 months from the date of publication.  Note that time
(the 3 months) is an absolute requirement.  The forms to fill out are the
same ones to register books, just a couple of pages plus two copies of
the source code.  If one wants to mantain trade secret status, he can also 
send only the FIRST 25 pages of the FIRST file and the LAST 25 pages of the
LAST file, and the copyright office will usually accept the registration.

-- Marco Papa
   Felsina Software