Re: New Apple II SuperSite Online

["**** ****" <***@***.com>]

Roy and/or Janet Miller wrote in message <39F3ADE8.B25E0F76@inetnebr.com>...

>No, but if you wrote Doom IV, then that would be a copy right infringement,
>which is what Greg was talking about. Try rereading his first post and you
might
>see where you missed the point.


If indeed this is what he meant, then I apologize. I asked again, Roy, just
to make sure. However, some people have been sued for simply making
lookalike games, and calling them stuff like Dread IV. This is what I had
thought he meant by those statements.

>Ideas are not copyright able - characters are, "universes" are, so if you
write
>a Foundation story you could well be sued, or a Star Trek story, but if you
>wrote a story about robots, or faster than light star ships you would be
safe.


Ah. This I might be willing to concede is fair and even ethical law. But,
how does it fit into things, when a corporation such as Disney releases a
movie or game based on public domain stories? They in particular have a
history of co-opting public domain "IP" for their own use, giving nothing in
return, and then even trying to sue others who quite legally also use this
public domain "IP". Also, I don't like the idea of criminalizing fan
fiction. Certainly this is not something that deserves such treatment, but
drawing a line could be quite difficult. Any thoughts?

>That was a bunch of nonsense John. What Greg said was valid. The creator of
>"Choplifter" can create a new version anytime he wishes (assuming he still
owns
>the rights) for any platform he wishes. But if you do it he could sue you
for
>every cent you'll make for the rest of your life. AND, if you violate his
>copyright by passing around the original "Choplifter" it could be argued in
>court that you have hurt any chance of creating a salable newer version.
That,
>of course, doesn't mean that it would be proven in court, but it could be
>argued. There was no trap that Greg wrote

Roy, as far as I know, Greg himself has never used such an "argument".
However, some here have used that very argument. Something to the effect
that "if they don't want to pay for it, they always have the option of
writing their own". That is a very hollow argument, when it has been shown
time and time again, that it is simply not the case. Whether Greg himself
feels this way, there are a great many who would gladly lock us into those
who feel they "legitimately" own IP industry.

John Oyler
http://aIIethernet.tripod.com/
jojo4@va.mediaone.net