Re: Software 'licensing' <RANT>

[Peter F Handel <handel@stolaf.edu>]

Michael Hackett <at217@chebucto.ns.ca> wrote:
: Peter F Handel (handel@stolaf.edu) wrote:
: > This is the way I've always understood the law (and please correct me
: > if I'm wrong): It is perfectly fine and legal to buy one copy of a
: > program and put it on 2 computers _IF_ you can be 100% sure that only
: > one copy of it is running at once.  The moment you run the same
: > program on two different computers at once is the moment you're
: > breaking the law.

: Bingo! That's how I read it as well. We'll all admit that no software
: company is going to come after anyone for this sort of infringement,
: but it is nonetheless illegal, UNLESS the license specifically gives
: you this right. (Licenses can give you more rights but probably cannot 
: legally reduce the rights you would otherwise have. I say probably
: because I don't think this has ever been challenged in court, and I'm
: a programmer (dammit!), not a lawyer. :-)

Ok, I have a question then: say you have a copy of some program at
work, and you copy it and run it at home.  Is this legal, since you
can be 100% sure that no one's running the program when the office is
closed?  Something tells me there's something non-kosher about this,
but from both our arguments, it seems as if this would be perfectly
legal.


In Christ,
Pete

-- 
 _handel@stolaf.edu___Happy 10 year Anniversary Apple IIGS!___JesusisLord!_
|Peter Handel www.stolaf.edu/people/handel  Student UNIX Programmer/Math CA|
|"God will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear" - 1 Cor. 10:v13|
|_______Whatdoesitprofitaman,togainafortune,andyetlosehissoul? - MWS_______|