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Path: utzoo!mnetor!seismo!rpics!yerazuws
From: yerazuws@rpics.RPI.EDU (Crah)
Newsgroups: news.stargate
Subject: Re: Restrictions on Stargate
Message-ID: <998@rpics.RPI.EDU>
Date: Mon, 16-Mar-87 18:18:28 EST
Article-I.D.: rpics.998
Posted: Mon Mar 16 18:18:28 1987
Date-Received: Tue, 17-Mar-87 04:25:33 EST
References: <103@stargate.UUCP>
Lines: 53
Summary: Very sweet- but reality is often harsh.

In article <103@stargate.UUCP>, stargate@Stargate.COM writes:
> As we've stated in the past, we want to be reasonable about pass-through
> of information transmitted via Stargate.  But there really is no free
> lunch!
> [...]  But there are fundamental economic realities to
> even a low-budget operation like this that must be considered.

I fully appreciate that you *must* pay for your resources, but you are
ignoring a very important point-
	I (not Stargate) am the author of my postings.  Some of these
	postings are (at least) mildly useful to others.  I have no
	objection to you redistributing my postings- BUT YOU SHALL NOT
	CLAIM ANY EXCLUSIVITY OR OTHER RESTRICTION ON THEM.  I haven't
	entered into any authorship/publishing arrangement with you, and
	I'll thank you not to claim my work as yours.
	
	Or else I'll see you in court.  

Now, if SIS wishes to provide new and original information, they may do so. 
They may originate, copyright, and restrict redistribution
on that which they have created, and I'll applaud them and probably even
purchase their service, if it looks reasonable.

They can also act as a "fixed-cost" newsfeed, distributing public
domain material.  You pay for the delivery service, not the 
information itself.  Or you can buy either level of service, depending
on what you want at your site.
	
But to take something that I (or someone not contracted to SIS) wrote
and placed in the public domain (or even copyrighted and public domainized
a la GNU manefesto), and attempt to restrict redistribution
of said public domain material and derivative works of public domain
material, is (1) very legally shakey, and (2) liable to get themselves
into a LOT of hot water if someone decides to press the point.  SIS may
not have very deep pockets financially but WTBS, the satellite owners, etc.
certainly have deep pockets.  They might be sueable even though they 
aren't legally in the "chain of command", simply because you were using
their facilities, they knew what you were doing, and they didn't stop
you.

After thinking about it, it's not reasonable for me to single out
Stargate as a culprit, hence note the updated .signature .

I really *do* hope Stargate works.  I just don't want them (or anyone
else) stealing any intellectual property.

Remember, my .signature file doesn't say you can't send it over Stargate,
it just says Stargate can't keep you from sending it to 
someone else, too.

-- 
	-Bill Yerazunis "VAXstation Repo Man"
-->Copyright (c) 1987. Restrictions on Redistribution PROHIBITED <--