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From: mjg@ecsvax.UUCP (Michael Gingell)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: Unauthorized Sale of Redristributable Software
Message-ID: <2256@ecsvax.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 12-Nov-86 08:45:23 EST
Article-I.D.: ecsvax.2256
Posted: Wed Nov 12 08:45:23 1986
Date-Received: Thu, 13-Nov-86 21:50:12 EST
Organization: UNC Educational Computing Service
Lines: 29

In article <8611020148.AA08257@cory.Berkeley.EDU>, dillon@CORY.BERKELEY.EDU (Matt Dillon) writes:
> 
> 	I've always wondered if it was possible to win a case such as this
> in court without the use of a lawyer.  It seems to me that buying the product
> from them and then simply entering that as proof (especially the fact that
> your telephone and name are displayed without your permission!) would be
> good enough.
> 


I am afraid that going to court would be a waste of time unless the work
is copyrighted. A copyright statement alone will give sufficient weight
to the action to stop unauthorized sale. No damages though unless the
work is formally registered with the US Copyright office.
In this case, since John Toebes is not the sole or original author
it seems doubtful that he could copyright it alone.

John Toebes should not have been surprized. Programming is one
thing, selling and making a living is the "Real World" and there
are people out there willing to do anything to make a buck.

The same thing happened to PC-SIG which has generated a collection
of nearly 600 volumes of public domain software for the IBM PC.
Now there are dozens of ripp-off merchants selling the same stuff.
One company quit brazenly advertizes the entire library for rent.
When pressed by PC-SIG to stop the guy said "So sue me - I could
use the publicity".

Mike Gingell    ...decvax!mcnc!ecsvax!mjg