Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!mnetor!seismo!rutgers!ames!ptsfa!hoptoad!academ!killer!elg From: elg@killer.UUCP (Eric Green) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga Subject: Re: PD Boot Disks Message-ID: <937@killer.UUCP> Date: Thu, 28-May-87 03:05:30 EDT Article-I.D.: killer.937 Posted: Thu May 28 03:05:30 1987 Date-Received: Tue, 2-Jun-87 00:36:37 EDT References: <1928@cbmvax.cbmvax.cbm.UUCP> Organization: The Unix(tm) Connection, Dallas, Texas Lines: 64 in article <1928@cbmvax.cbmvax.cbm.UUCP>, andy@cbmvax.cbm.UUCP (Andy Finkel) says: > In article <917@killer.UUCP> elg@killer.UUCP (Eric Green) writes: > If you're selling your program (not sharewaring it) there's no problem. > There is an inexpensive Workbench license available. > (and I'm sure we'll be able to work out the non-comercial stuff) Oh, I'm not concerned, since I'm not writing for the Amiga at the moment (nothing personal, you understand.... it's just that Amiga Creek is an aweful lot smaller than IBM Ocean). And I have no trouble with Fish Disks, since I have 3/4ths of a brain. It's just the idea of "them lawyers are at it again" that peeves me.... it seems like the entire legal profession is either a) trying to take everything away from you, or b) trying to make things harder on all your customers. Almost as bad as government -- but at least government usually just wants your money. > A bit of friendly advice, from one programmer to another...Eric, don't > you ever let one of your programs be involved in a royalty situation. > You'd lose your shirt. :-) > (think about it) I know what you mean. I talked to one kid who wrote a program for Megasoft, and he says that he recieved a whole $12 in royalties, and Megasoft said that they only sold 10 copies.... for a nationally-advertised program, that people had all over the place. Since Megasoft is/was a Canadian company, he had no recourse, alas (couldn't sue, since he's an American). In general, my philosophy is that a) If a price in a store isn't listed, I can't afford it, and b) if I can't read the contract's legalese, I can't afford it. Especially if it mentions things about "profits" -- I learned so many ways of evaporating profits in my Accounting classes, that it's a wonder that ANY American business makes a profit! > Yes, lawyers, laws, and contracts can complicate our lives. > But there are some issues here that need to be worked out. I can imagine. Like, "uh oh, blurbfoo is coming out with an Amiga clone, and they found a public domain disk with some of our copyrighted stuff on it". In which case, Commodore has no recourse but to sue the guy who illegally put Commodore stuff on a public domain disk, I guess. But this sure sounds like a jiffy-neato reason for putting one of those "licencing agreements" into effect (you know, the ones that disclaim your existence, pretend that you are being allowed to use the program temporarily via the generosity of Micro Sloth Corporation for the low low price of $600, and so forth). Something about licensed owners of the software being able to exchange it with other licencsed owners of the software (and assuming that while Imperial Bat Monsters may own an Amoeba, the people who buy Baby-A's from Imperial Bat Monsters won't be license owners of the software -- since buying an Amoeba is necessary to become a licensed owner). > andy finkel {ihnp4|seismo|allegra}!cbmvax!andy > Commodore/Amiga Ya know, none of this cr*p would be necessary if we all tried to live like human beings and quit trying to f*ck each other.... sigh.... it's enough to make a person ashamed of being a member of the same species. PS: Sorry for any flames, they were directed at lawyers for Commodore et. al., not at any of the Commodore technical staff, who do a fine job whenever their lawyers aren't dragging them over hot coals and flogging them with horse whips. -- Eric Green elg%usl.CSNET CS student, University of SW Louisiana {cbosgd,ihnp4}!killer!elg Apprentice Haquer, Bayou Telecommunications Snail Mail P.O. Box 92191 BBS phone #: 318-984-3854 300/1200 baud Lafayette, LA 70509 I disclaim my existence, and yours, too.