Path: utzoo!utgpu!attcan!uunet!lll-winken!lll-tis!helios.ee.lbl.gov!pasteur!ames!pacbell!att!mtune!rkh
From: rkh@mtune.ATT.COM (Robert Halloran)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple
Subject: Re: Blindness / pirating
Message-ID: <7864@mtune.ATT.COM>
Date: 21 Oct 88 12:15:23 GMT
References: <186@orbit.UUCP> <1268@cod.NOSC.MIL>
Reply-To: rkh@mtune.UUCP (Robert Halloran)
Organization: AT&T ISL Middletown NJ USA
Lines: 35

In article <1268@cod.NOSC.MIL> rupp@cod.nosc.mil.UUCP (William L. Rupp) writes:
>In article <186@orbit.UUCP> shawn@pnet51.cts.com (Shawn Stanley) writes:
>  >...................  If you make a copy of copyrighted software, whether it's
>  >made over the phone line, across a network, byte by byte entry from the
>  >keyboard, or on-disk, you have made an illegal copy. .........
>I am not 100% sure about the legality of selling your original
>distribution disk.  I think even that is technically illegal because one does
>not have the right to transfer the software license to another party.  Don't
>forget, it's the license that is the heart of the copyright, not the
>actual diskette itself.

Concur on Mr. Rupp's comment (deleted) about it being COMPLETELY legal 
to make an archival copy for one's self.  This much is supported by copyright
law, and I believe has been successfully defended against the usual shrinkwrap
agreements.  Churning out a dozen copies and giving/selling them to one's 
friends is a different matter.

On selling the originals: I suppose it depends on the vendor; I bought 
a copy of GBBS for my wife's high school from someone in CA, and L&L in 
Aurora CO charged us $10. for 'transferring the license', or words to that 
effect.  We were also able to upgrade to the current version by sending in the
original disks with an upgrade charge.  What someone like Claris, Activision, 
etc. might be willing to do in a similar situation I have no idea about.

						Bob Halloran
=========================================================================
UUCP: att!mtune!rkh				Internet: rkh@mtune.ATT.COM
USPS: 17 Lakeland Dr, Port Monmouth NJ 07758	DDD: 201-495-6621 eve ET
Disclaimer: If you think AT&T would have ME as a spokesman, you're crazed.
Quote: "History is made at night.  Character is what you are in the dark!" 
  - Dr. Lizardo, "Buckaroo Banzai"
-- 
						Bob Halloran
=========================================================================
UUCP: att!mtune!rkh				Internet: rkh@mtune.ATT.COM
Disclaimer: If you think AT&T would have ME as a spokesman, you're crazed.