Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!cs.utexas.edu!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!UCONNVM.BITNET!SEWALL
From: SEWALL@UCONNVM.BITNET (Murph Sewall)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple
Subject: Re: Software piracy (that old doggy)
Message-ID: <8906070916.aa00278@SMOKE.BRL.MIL>
Date: 7 Jun 89 14:02:07 GMT
References: <lbotez%PRO-SIMASD.CTS.COM@nosc.mil>
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Organization: The Internet
Lines: 31

>very few people out there on this network that consider VCR taping a CRIME!
>Okay, all you video thieves, did you know that YOU are a criminal?).

Whoa Lynda, you are overlooking the famous Betamax case (went all the way
to the Supreme Court or perhaps the Supreme Court simply decided to let
the appelate court ruling stand).  It IS LEGAL to time shift (tape a program
to view later) AND that includes taping a movie over the air or cable
and playing it back for your personal (includes immediate family) enjoyment
as many times as you like (interpretation of the "fair use" doctrine).

What's not legal is using a second VCR (or a handy videocam) to make copies
for distribution to friends (even if you give them away).  I'm NOT a lawyer and
I didn't read the news stories on the decision closely enough to determine
whether making a copy of a RENTED movie for later viewing is equivalent to
making a copy of a broadcast movie - the rented movies come with a copyright
statement that says not, but...  Movies rent in this area for $1.25 and the
rental store is proximate to the grocery store and the gas station (hardly
inconvenient :-) so it makes little sense to spend $5.00 on a blank tape to
make a copy of a movie I've seen anyway (and can see again for only $1.25).
That's a little different than purloining someone's computer program (for
which repeated original use is possible) and not paying (even one cent) for
it at all.

Murph Sewall                       Vaporware? ---> [Gary Larson returns 1/1/90]
Prof. of Marketing     Sewall@UConnVM.BITNET
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