Re: piracy, Asimov, you, and me

[wbaguhn@nyx10.cs.du.edu (Will Baguhn)]

In article <4tglhu$779@newslink.runet.edu>,
Dennis McClain-Furmanski <dmcclain@runet.edu> wrote:
>Will Baguhn (wbaguhn@nyx10.cs.du.edu) wrote:
>: 
>: Also, as an amendment to the "proposal of making Asimov legal", how
>: about sending out a notice to copyright holders that Asimov would like
>: to make their old software available to the public, and would that be ok?
>
>That's the only way.
>
>: And at the same time, include in the letter/email that if no response
>: is heard in 2 months, we'll just assume that you don't care anymore
>: and have it available.  It may be RUDE, it may be illegal on a technicality,
>: but it's far more realistic.
>
>It's not a technicality, it's a law. Unless rights are tranferred 
>specifically and clearly, they are not transferred.
>
>As to your comment about "if they [prior developers] cared, they'd be doing
>something about it [infringements]..."
>
>How do you know they are not or will not, and in what manner would you 
>like to be notified? That's a rhetorical "you".

If they are doing something about it, the programs would be disappearing
from Asimov slowly.  If they cared and knew, they'd be either doing
something about it or they would have decided to let it slide, becuase
it wasn't that important anyway.


It may be the law, but I seriously doubt that we've all followed the law
exactly all our lives and been perfect little angels.  Everyone who's
whining about following the letter of the law... you've never driven
60 mph in a 55 mph zone when nobody was looking, have you?  Even
though it didn't really hurt anyone, it's STILL illegal.

And to whoever made the analogy about stealing chairs from the backyard:
it's more like sneaking in and sitting on the oh-so-comfortable
chairs while you're not there.  Yes, we probably shouldn't sit
on the chairs, but when you tell us to leave we'll apologize and disappear.
(I'd guess that asimov would take it down, anyway.)


-- 
                                      --- Rev. SPQR (wbaguhn@nyx.net)