Re: Is it legal for hardware?

[Wayne Stewart <waynes@intergate.ca>]

Bryan Parkoff wrote:

> Is it legal for hardware?
>
>     I am wondering if I can be able to duplicate any hardware controller
> cards before I can redesign into new hardware controller cards before I can
> sell them.  It is like ZipGS, Transwarp GS, and some other controller cards.

In some cases you'd be guilty of patent infringement. However given the size
of the Apple II market, I doubt you'd run into any legal problems.
In some cases like with the ZipGS you'd run into monetary problems. The
ZipGS uses a custom chip which no one will produce unless you pay for a
run of several thousand. That's why ZipGS production ended, they couldn't
hope to sell enough cards to ever pay for making up a batch of chips. I recall
when someone posted that Altech was down to one last card. I believe it sat
there for almost 2 months before Nathan Mates bought it. Then once it was
sold there was a sudden flurry of postings from people saying they had to have
an accelerator.

    Wayne