Re: Wanted: GBBS Pro Versions 2.x

["Apple2Steward" <none@none.net>]

<gids.rs@sasktel.net> wrote in message 
3a620a8e-7f78-4fe1-a3ae-cb0d4a97e508@googlegroups.com">news:3a620a8e-7f78-4fe1-a3ae-cb0d4a97e508@googlegroups.com...
> Not to start A war, but the program support or not is still not
> freeware.  My suggestion is you try and contact Steven 
> Smallwood.  I
> understand how many owners feel, the reason I sold it was I was 
> unable
> to provide support due to my work schedule, I had done some 
> updates
> before selling it and had given them to registered GBBS Sysops 
> that had
> asked, the one thing that I could not fix with  the date 
> problem, it was
> hard coded and I did not have the time or the interest at the 
> time to correct it.


.. snip ..

 People have requested to purchase this software since 2002, 
which is 11 years without sales or support.  That is long enough 
for software to be considered abandonware if not continually 
registered.  I take it you had it registered with the proper 
authorities.

.. snip ..


So these particular comments do not continue to add to the 
mythology of "abandonware"

1.  "Abandonware" is not a legally recognized construct.

2.  Once US copyright applies, there is no requirement that 
software be "continually registered."  Copyright applies for the 
copyright term, which for this software, if it were published 
with a copyright notice, would be the life of the author + 70 
years.

3.  If GBBS Pro were published with a copyright notice, 
registration could be done at any time within the life of the 
copyright.  It would not be required for copyright to apply, but 
would be necessary for the copyright holder to file an 
infringement suit.