Re: Copyright problem?

[lesherjt@vuse.vanderbilt.edu (John Lesher)]

Tom Zuchowski (cd003508@interramp.com) wrote:
: rwk@pro-novapple.clark.net (Rick Krieger) wrote:
: >I'm going to attempt to write a program.  This will be a learning
: >experience so the first attempt will probably be Applesoft BASIC.
: >The program will be a personality profile based on 70 questions.
: >My question is the questions/scoring/profile will come from copyrighted
: >material.  The test is the Kiersey Tempermant sorter.  The completed
: >program will be freeware so will I have a copyrite problem?

: What kind of problem do anticipate? That it will be "stolen" and =sold= 
: for money by dozens of unscrupulous retailers? That Public-Domain vendors 
: will charge a copying fee?  That online services will charge for the 
: connect time?  You'll get more focussed opinions if you air your specific 
: concerns.

: IMHO Freeware is a bit of a pipe dream.  It would be a real chore to 
: demonstrate that you preserved your copyright while letting everyone in 
: the known universe copy it.  In any event, such a lawsuit would be an 
: enormously expensive undertaking, and your chances of proving financial 
: damage would be slim.

	You miss the point of his question...

	The real answer:  if the Kiersey Temperment sorter can be found
in either a psychology textbook or an encyclopedia, there is no problem,
as long as you 1) credit the technique properly, and 2) make no financial
gain from the finished product.
	Since it will be freeware, #2 is taken care of... All you need
do is make sure that you have properly credited the technique, both in
the source code (in the beginning) and in the program (on the 1st or 2nd
screen).  This of course assumes the "if" noted above.

Tilghman