Re: The software piracy issue

[Tom Zuchowski <cd003508@interramp.com>]

"Randall H. Friedline[User]" <friedr@med.unc.edu> wrote:
>I have, in my ownership several Apple software programs that I used to 
>use with my ][e.  Well, my ][e went to computer heaven....so I was left 
>with the software.  I moved on to bigger and better(??) things by going 
>to a PC platform. This was several years ago.
>	Lo and behold, after surfing the 'net, I come across a new term:
>EMULATOR. Hmmmm...I say, what could that be.  Turns out, I can actually 
>*run* an Apple on my PC.  Wow! I say.  Does this mean I could use my 
>apple software? Well, no....it turns out I can only use disk *images*.  
>Oh, I say....so....how do I make images?  Well, that was another 
>story...so let me get to the point of this one.
>
>I have apple software that *I* bought.  I have a PC.  I now have access 
>to an Apple emulator on the PC.
>	Would I be correct in saying that, even though I own the Apple 
>software, It would be illegal of me to make a disk image of it to play on 
>the emulator?

Randall, my opinion (worth what you paid for it <g>) is that using 
emulators is ethically OK even though it probably violates pretty much all 
of your licensing agreements.  However, it's also my opinion that in the 
vast majority of cases NOBODY CARES any more and you are in little or no 
danger of litigation.

Likewise, I personally have no ethical problem or fear of litigation with 
downloading DSKs that I don't already own, as long as the title is 
definitely out of print and is not still available from the same publisher 
in a PC version.

Having said that, let me add that anyone who downloads DSK copies of, for 
example, Prosel or Appleworks (two titles still being published) and does 
not already own legal copies, is stealing and deserves to be prosecuted.

TomZ