Re: Building An Apple ][ Software Archive

[Roy and/or Janet Miller <millers@inetnebr.com>]

Jumping back in...

Arkain wrote:

> You and Paul seem to be having so much fun doing research on these terms
> that I dare not deprive you of your fun. The truth is actually 1/2 way
> between the 2 of you.

Ah, but Paul and Frank are at least quoting "authorities", your definitions seem
to have no greater authority than that of your own opinion, and, as we here all
know, there are plenty of others with differing opinions.

>
>
> Public Domain Software:
> This is software that is not copyrighted by anyone.

More than that. Public domain means there are NO rights of any kind held by any
individual (please remember that under law a corporation IS an individual) or
group of individuals in reference to a work. Not just the right to copy.

> Any previously existing
> copyrights on such software have been released by the owner. Anyone is free
> to redistribute or even "embrace & extend" (classic M$ tactics) such works.
>
> Freeware:
> Freeware refers to software for which the redistribution rights have been
> released to the public domain.

I don't believe that is correct. No rights have been released or surrendered,
merely not asserted. The difference (splitting hairs perhaps) is that such
rights COULD be reasserted in the future. Such as if "Superwriter" is now
freeware, and someone edits the product and claims to be the author, or some one
steals routines from it, and the copyright owner gets upset, they (I think, I'm
sure if I'm wrong someone will correct me) could revoked the freeware status.

> There is no guarantee that the work is also
> uncopyrighted. More often than not, the work is copyrighted and is as such,
> NOT entirely public domain. This is not to say that there are no
> uncopyrighted freeware works.

If it is uncopyrighted, then it's public domain. Not uncopyrighted freeware.
Simply public domain. By combining the terms a confusion arises that is not
helpful.

Public domain - copy it, fold it, spindle it, disassemble it, alter it, whatever
you wish to do with it.

Freeware - you may copy it and distribute it, sometimes under certain
conditions.

Shareware - try it, before you buy it. But if you use it - pay for it.

Roy

>
>
> In other words...
>
> Public domain software is always freeware.
> Freeware is not always public domain.
>
> Public domain software is 1 category of freeware.
>
> Arkain
>
> "Frank Townsend" <ftownsen@iamdigex.net> wrote in message
> news:FWRA5.834$j13.84788@dca1-nnrp2.news.digex.net...
> > <sigh>
> >
> > I did look . . .
> > *
> > I found a few people who used the goofy phrase in the last sentence of
> > *this* extract:
> >
> > Linkname: Dolphin Smalltalk 2.1 Third Party Downloads
> > URL: http://www.object-arts.com/Downloads/ThirdParty/2.1/Downloads.htm
> >
> > /\/\
> >
> > QuickCode - QuickCode.zip(8K) [Updated 13th May 1998]
> > QuickCode is . . . . is public domain freeware and � Bill Schwab 1997.
> >
> > \/\/
> >
> > Australia adds this equally odd construction:
> >
> > Linkname: Software Copyright Protection Guideline  Commerce and Trade
> > Western Australia
> > URL:
> >
> http://www.commerce.wa.gov.au/dct/oic/ipcdocs/guidelines/guide3-1.html#right
> > s
> >
> > /\/\
> >
> > For example, the owner may give the copyright free, perhaps by declaring
> in
> > writing that others may use it without charge, thereby making it public
> > domain software (freeware).
> >
> > \/\/
> >
> > I don't know about you, but it looks to me as if neither of these authors
> > are quite sure of the issues.
> >
> > Your preference as I understand it (if I may be so bold) is to use the
> term
> > freeware as a superset that includes "copyrighted freeware," and public
> > domain software that is available for free, both as subsets.
> >
> > It just seems to me that this nomenclature blurs two dissimilar concepts
> by
> > using the price qualifier.  Like categorizing tomatoes and apples as "red
> > fruit"  (pardon the pun ;-))
> >
> > But, no matter.  As Humpty said, "there's glory for you."  <g>
> >
> >
> > "Paul Schlyter" <pausch@saafNOSPAM.se> wrote in message
> > news:8r0e1g$sgd$1@merope.saaf.se...
> >
> >
> > > OK --- the next time I have enough spare time, I'll look up an equal
> > > number of web sites which defines freeware as including PD stuff.  I'm
> > > quite positive it's out there somewhere, and not just in the Jargon
> file..
> >
> >
> >