Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!mnetor!seismo!rutgers!cbmvax!carolyn From: carolyn@cbmvax.cbm.UUCP (Carolyn Scheppner CATS) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga Subject: Re: PD Boot Disks Message-ID: <1890@cbmvax.cbmvax.cbm.UUCP> Date: Mon, 18-May-87 12:25:57 EDT Article-I.D.: cbmvax.1890 Posted: Mon May 18 12:25:57 1987 Date-Received: Tue, 19-May-87 04:06:09 EDT References: <504@myrias.UUCP> <1868@cbmvax.cbmvax.cbm.UUCP> <1541@cadovax.UUCP> Reply-To: carolyn@cbmvax.UUCP (Carolyn Scheppner CATS) Organization: Commodore Technology, West Chester, PA Lines: 89 Keywords: Draco compiler shareware includes In article <1541@cadovax.UUCP> keithd@cadovax.UUCP (Keith Doyle) writes: >In article <1868@cbmvax.cbmvax.cbm.UUCP> carolyn@cbmvax.UUCP (Carolyn Scheppner CATS) writes: >>--------------------------------------------------------------------------- >> I'd like to clarify a legal issue here. Files from the WorkBench disk >> may not be distributed on shareware or freeware or in any publicly >> redistributable manner. The contents of the Workbench disk is copyrighted. >>--------------------------------------------------------------------------- >This is still a bit fuzzy in my mind. Does that mean you can do an >'install' on a newly formatted disk without obtaining a license or not? You can do whatever you want with your newly formatted disk. But if you put anything from Workbench on it, you can not give it away or sell it. If you are selling an Amiga software product and you are the sole publisher/distributer of the product, you can get a Workbench license which will allow you to distribute your product with Workbench files on the disk. The license currently costs $100/year and requires that you include C-A copyright statements and disclaimers. This obviously precludes any type of shareware/freeware/pd type of distribution because you would not be the sole publisher/distributer and would not be able to enforce compliance with the terms of the license. >What about the ram-handler, disk-validator, and port-handler and >system-configuration? If these aren't included, what is the impact >of booting a disk without these on it? I suggest you don't try. You'll probably GURU, hopefully BEFORE you trash your disks. >Aside from the extra $100 a year revenue, I was wondering >what the rationale is. Protection of our copyrights and control over the distribution of our copyrighted material. >>-------------------------------------------------------------------------- >> The files may only be distributed by an individual or company with a >> Workbench License. The licensee must be the sole distributor and must >> adhere to the rules of the license regarding copyright notices, disclaimers, >> etc. This makes public redistribution impossible under the contract. >>--------------------------------------------------------------------------- >I'm trying to decide if what you are saying is that it is not legal to >produce a public domain disk that is self-bootable. Slideshow disks >for example. A friend of mine is a commercial artist that has a series >of his images and a PD slideshow on it configured to boot up and run the >slideshow. Is it legal for him to distribute it PD? If so, could he >decide to charge for it without incurring the $100? (starving artist >counts pennies). That is what I am saying. It is not legal to distribute a public domain disk which is bootable or contains any of the contents of the Workbench disk. >If someone decided to contribute $100 to Fred Fish for the >purpose of getting a workbench license, can we all then just give Fred >bootable disks and have him distribute them all for us? Not at this time. It is possible that we might be able to work out some type of text file to be displayed by the startup-sequence which would state our copyrights and disclaimers, and then a mattress tag type of statement (You may not remove or modify this file or the code which displays this file under penalty of law). If this can be worked out with the legal department, it may be possible in the future to license Workbench for PD distribution. I'll see what I can do. No promises. >Or on the other hand, if all this is not legal, has anyone out there seen >any PD boot-up software that will address these problems? Yes. They supply a script that creates the bootable disk. >>-------------------------------------------------------------------------- >> Publicly redistributable software can be distributed with an installation >>script designed to strip a user's copy of Workbench and install itself >>onto that copy of Workbench. >>-------------------------------------------------------------------------- >That's different than a boot disk designed for the dumb dumb user who >wouldn't even know how to execute a script or run the CLI. We're talking >first-time Amiga users here. This is true. As I said, I'll see what I can do. -- =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Carolyn Scheppner -- CBM >>Amiga Technical Support<< UUCP ...{allegra,caip,ihnp4,seismo}!cbmvax!carolyn PHONE 215-431-9180 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=