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From: stank@anvil.WV.TEK.COM (Stan Kalinowski)
Newsgroups: gnu.config
Subject: Re: What about the Adobe Lawsuit?
Message-ID: <3177@orca.WV.TEK.COM>
Date: 19 Apr 89 20:45:10 GMT
References: <8480@polya.Stanford.EDU>
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Reply-To: stank@anvil.WV.TEK.COM (Stan Kalinowski)
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Organization: Tektronix, Inc., Wilsonville, OR
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The most recent issue of IEEE Micro magazine has an interesting
article about the copyright laws as they apply to enhancement
software.  The article cites two cases where the definition of a
derivative work seems to be made broader, making it easier to claim
infringement.  Recent interpretations of the Adobe decision that I
have seen on the "net" seem to say that restrictions are eased for
Adobe's competitors.

I am certainly no expert on Copyright law, but it seems to me that it
is terribly confused right now and lacks a direction.  Personally, I
feel our government should abolish copyrights altogether and return to
the same "laissez faire" attitude that sparked the first industrial
revolution.  Of course, I think they should adopt such a policy only
for copyrights and perhaps patents, I think the other reforms, e.g.
the rights of employees, still need to be protected.  I know this is a
rather radical concept, but frankly I'm sick of seeing progress and
innovation stifled by lawyers.

DISCLAIMER: The above views are mine alone and do not necessarily
represent those of my employer.

							stank
US Mail: Stan Kalinowski, Tektronix, Inc.	
         Information Display Group, Interactive Technologies Division
         PO Box 1000, MS 61-028, Wilsonville OR 97070   Phone:(503)-685-2458
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