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From: net@uwmacc.UUCP (jeff kesselman)
Newsgroups: net.micro.amiga
Subject: Re: Unauthorized Sale of Redristributable Software
Message-ID: <474@uwmacc.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 6-Nov-86 23:13:45 EST
Article-I.D.: uwmacc.474
Posted: Thu Nov  6 23:13:45 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 7-Nov-86 22:53:17 EST
References: <8611020148.AA08257@cory.Berkeley.EDU> <383@ur-cvsvax.UUCP>
Reply-To: net@uwmacc.UUCP (jeff kesselman)
Organization: UWisconsin-Madison Academic Comp Center
Lines: 48

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 think Matt is on the right track here. Why not take a few
>contributions to get the ball rolling (ie post an address and
>Ill send some money) then include in the price of the Fish disks
>enough extra charge to cover adds in the prominent AMIGA magazines
>for freeware.
>

I agree with the idea that we should run ads, and I'll send a few bucks as
well as asking our local users group (CAMEO) to pitch in.

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.

I would strongly suggest contacting your local chapter of The American
Society of Journalists and Authors, or a similar national writers group as
they can give you lost of good advice about how to handle it and which lawyers
to use. If you want to mail me your city, Matt, I can look up where the
nearest ASJA chapter is and get back to you.

Assholes like the ones in question should be taken to the cleaners, its the
onlything they learn from!

Jeff Kesselman
ihnp4!uwvax!puff!uhura!captain
or just uhura!captain for mailers who know about published names.

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...)