Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!unmvax!pprg.unm.edu!hc!lll-winken!uunet!portal!cup.portal.com!thad
From: thad@cup.portal.com (Thad P Floryan)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: Used DPAINT [I & II] for sale
Message-ID: <16958@cup.portal.com>
Date: 10 Apr 89 01:55:05 GMT
References: <16386@oberon.USC.EDU> <6789@ecsvax.UUCP> <16404@oberon.USC.EDU>
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Organization: The Portal System (TM)
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Though this discussion belongs in comp.legal <whatever>, Marco is dead

              W R O N G

with his statements regarding software licensing.

Software is (properly?) treated as intellectual property, NOT physical property
hence the licensing.

When you buy a car and receive title (after paying it off, etc.), you OWN the
car and can do whatever you want with it.  Only ONE copy of that car exists.

When you license software, you are paying for the right to use the software;
the author retains copyright and legally can prevent you from patching it,
disassembling it, using other parts of it, etc.

As you know, software CAN be easily copied.

Selling off "old" copies of licensed software that one has upgraded is illegal
in every state in the USA.  In practice, the legality is seldom challenged in
the courts.

Suggest you seek competent cousel before the SPA (Software Publishers'
Association) comes after you.  :-)

Thad Floryan [thad@cup.portal.com (OR) ..!sun!portal!cup.portal.com!thad]