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From: cmcmanis%pepper@Sun.COM (Chuck McManis)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: There's No Fun At Pixar
Message-ID: <24931@sun.uucp>
Date: Wed, 5-Aug-87 14:17:07 EDT
Article-I.D.: sun.24931
Posted: Wed Aug  5 14:17:07 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 8-Aug-87 05:25:33 EDT
References: <1681@cadovax.UUCP> <921@hp-sdd.HP.COM>
Sender: news@sun.uucp
Reply-To: cmcmanis@sun.UUCP (Chuck McManis)
Distribution: world
Organization: Sun Microsystems, Mountain View
Lines: 38
Summary: Sour Grapes?

In article <921@hp-sdd.HP.COM> nick@hp-sdd.UUCP (Nick Flor) writes:
>Did Leo really *borrow* this unicycle idea from an animation flick by Pixar?

No, he recreated it. But he did so from prior knowledge. (that is he had
obviously seen Red's Dreams)

>If you already have the tools to create a demo ...
> ... The hard part is coming up with an idea for a demo.

True, although no one would accuse Leo of not being creative :-). 
What really strikes me about this issue is the concept of re-implementing
something and having the original creator get mad at you. Suppose you
went down to the Mall and saw this really neat sculpture. The city paid
$300,000 for it, but you have some modeling clay and natural ability so
you make one out of clay. Some friends see it and so you make some for them.
Does the Artist get pissed and throw you in jail? No, he or she says "Thats
a very good likeness, I would appreciate it if you would put a note on it
that tells where you got your inspiration." Being a reasonable person you
do and everyone is happy. Suddenly we enter the computer realm, where 'art'
is created with mathematical formulae and proprietary dithering algorithims.
And once created duplication is simple. Is this a problem? If my friends and
I recreate our favorite episode of Star Trek and video tape it to give to
our friends is Universal Studios 'damaged?'. There are about 8 Dr. Peppers
worth of questions here. Why can't Leo just say "This is a scene from the 
Pixar animated Film "Red's Dream" that I recreated using the Amiga." I do 
think that technically Pixar could probably get an injunction, but probably
couldn't collect any damages (who is damaged? people who were going to buy 
Pixars aren't going to change because of this.) 

I guess what I am trying to say is that it is probably not very informative
to get into a discussion about whether or not Pixar is 'right' and if Leo
should give in to their arm twisting. But it could be very enlightening to
talk about the use of the copyright laws to cover a bunch of mathematical
formulae that you displayed on a screen graphically. 

--Chuck McManis
uucp: {anywhere}!sun!cmcmanis   BIX: cmcmanis  ARPAnet: cmcmanis@sun.com
These opinions are my own and no one elses, but you knew that didn't you.