Re: Announcement: STM 0.85r available

[jimn8@netcom.com (Jim Nitchals)]

George D. Nincehelser <nincehelser@sbctri.sbc.com> writes:

>However, if someone is not dilligent in defending their property and
>their property appears abandoned, it could fall into the public domain
>regardless of other property laws.

>This happens with real property, and I can't imagine why it wouldn't also
>apply to the intellectual realm

This would certainly be uncharted legal territory.  In the case of books,
reprints sometimes are made dozens of years after the first publishing.
An author may suddenly find an "abandoned" book gains new interest (how
many copies of Road Work did Richard Bachman sell before it was known
he was Steven King?)

But computers are new and different.  As an old architecture becomes
obsolete, it effectively is abandoned as the publishers no longer find
the market viable.  Nevertheless, we're not about to take chances.  The
original authors and publishers are being contacted for permission to
include their programs with a release of STM.  I wouldn't cherish the
thought of becoming a guinea pig case for "software homesteading."

In some cases, the product is still alive and kicking on other platforms.
I wouldn't dream of asking for rights to distribute the Apple II version
of Prince of Persia when the Mac version is still selling well.  And
it's unlikely a court would perceive it as "abandoned" if it were still
being published in a different form.

Thanks for your comments,

- Jim

-- 
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  "A lot of people say there's too much personal freedom.  When
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