Re: Abandonware petition

[tturner@ecn.ab.ca ()]

Cturley2 (cturley2@aol.com) wrote:
: Brendon Woirhaye wrote in his reply:

: << Although this is an honourable idea, it isn't as simple as it looks.

: I did some research a couple months back into Copy ][+, which is owned by
: the company that I work for (Symantec Corporation, which acquired Central
: Point about 8 or 9 years back).  Although the company has no financial
: interest in the old product, and won't prosecute anyone for using an
: unlicensed copy or even distributing it, the company cannot afford to
: release it as public domain.

: You see, it is possible that an old product may have used libraries or other
: code licensed from another company or individual.  For a company to release
: a product as public domain, it needs to make absolutely sure it owns the
: entire rights to do so - and that requires legal research.  Particularly a
: company with big assets which may be a legal target.
<snip>

: Thanks for the reply above Brendon.  Copy II+ for the Apple II series is an
: old and valued utility program that many Apple II users can SOON find for
: public access and download from my web site in the folder named:

: http://www.apple2.net/gswv/A2.LOST.N.FOUND.CLASSICS/

: Many of the archives and disk images in this folder are abandonware
: The companies and people that own the rights to them have expressed 
: the same thoughts about their use and distribution as your company did.

: That's the reason I make them available for public access and download.
: Without the availability of such software for the Apple II series  -- the
: computer loses much of its abilities and its users also.
<snip>

--> Tom, you'll continue to do as you do, whatever the case;
    however, this sort of prevarication is exactly the reason
    why you'll be taken to task for it, by those who are not
    comfortable with your `world-view' of orphaned software.

    Keeping a repository of orphaned software, preserving it
    for future reference, makes sense; especially as much of
    the old 5.25" diskette-based software is starting to lose
    coherence, but should be done with a proper eye to the
    intent of copyright laws, notwithstanding the ephemeral
    nature of magnetic media and its easy propensity for
    copying. Archives need to be kept - it shows the dawn of
    the personal computing age; but efforts would be much
    better served by focusing such energies on creating 
    legal archives, rather than potentially morally suspect
    methodologies . . . 

    Call it what it is - but don't go justifying what you're
    doing by equivocation or obfuscation.  Rise above that.

--
E.A.G.L.E Librarian A3 BBS:403/481-3133  email:tturner@freenet.edmonton.ab.ca