Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!snorkelwacker!usc!cs.utexas.edu!natinst!rpp386!jfh
From: jfh@rpp386.cactus.org (John F. Haugh II)
Newsgroups: comp.sources.d
Subject: Re: Paying for Shareware
Message-ID: <17920@rpp386.cactus.org>
Date: 12 Feb 90 13:29:18 GMT
References: <1233@utoday.UUCP> <17916@rpp386.cactus.org> <1236@utoday.UUCP>
Reply-To: jfh@rpp386.cactus.org (John F. Haugh II)
Organization: Lone Star Cafe and BBS Service
Lines: 46

In article <1236@utoday.UUCP> greenber@utoday.UUCP (Ross M. Greenberg) writes:
> jfh@rpp386.cactus.org (John F. Haugh II) writes:
>>
>>The law, more likely than not, is that even the license is unenforcable,
>>and that shareware is pretty much available for free public use, without
>>restriction of any kind, if it is distributed in a medium such as USENET.
>
>Okey doke, then you have no problem using copies of Lotus 123 that find their
>way onto your computer, eh?  

No, and you know exactly why.  Quit playing stupid.

The difference between Lotus 1-2-3 showing up on my computer and Newclip
or whatever is that there is no =LEGAL= way Lotus 1-2-3 is going to be
distributed on the net.

Copying shareware is =encouraged=.  So I may very legally obtain and
distribute copies of shareware.  With the issue of the legality of any
copies of shareware disposed of, the only remaining legal issue is
whether or not the license can restrict me from using it.  Since I did
not agree to the terms of the license, I am free to use my copy in any
fashion I choose.

>Alright then, ask a friend of your to post Lotus to the net.  Now, you
>take it and start freely distributing it around.  Now, tell your management
>what you are doing.  I'm sure they'll see it the same way as you do.

Ross, you're being an idiot.  Lotus 1-2-3 is protected by a copyright,
shareware isn't - the copyright on most shareware is written to encourage
copying.  That's the whole idea - make all the copies you want and them
give them to your friends, along with a request for money.  There is no
question as to my legally being able to obtain a copy.

Several years ago when someone posted the AT&T sources to YACC and I
received the nice letter from the charming people at AT&T to remove all
of the copies I had from my system, I was more than happy [ heavy
sarcasm ] to remove the copies I had, because there was no =LEGAL= way
I could have obtained the software.

>Now, are you complaining about shareware over UseNet, or about shareware as
>a whole?  Or, are you simply complaining?

Shareware on USENET.  This is USENET, right?
-- 
John F. Haugh II                             UUCP: ...!cs.utexas.edu!rpp386!jfh
Ma Bell: (512) 832-8832                           Domain: jfh@rpp386.cactus.org