Re: Software on Old Disks

["John B. Matthews" <nospam@nospam.com>]

In article <6xfZe.2635$G64.1509@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com>,
 Steven Lichter <shlichter@diespammers.com> wrote:
[...]
> Then how do you explain publishers that are still supporting the Apple 
> II by writing programs, that gives you the right to that persons 
> programs and use them without compensation or without their permission?

I still write Apple II software, and I rely on copyright to protect my 
interests. I generally distribute such work under the license found 
here: <http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html>. My point was that such 
rights and obligations are mutual under copyright law.
 
> If the program has been abandoned and is not being supported in any way, 
> then maybe.  I  hold the rights to the Apple II BBS program GBBS, right 
> now it is not being sold, but as I have had time I'm updating it to work 
> with the Y2k problems it had as well as updating it to be able to work 
> over the Internet.  I may not be selling it, but I am working on the 
> program and still own the rights, with by the way, I paid a lot more 
> then it was worth at the time to save it because Lance was going to dump 
> it.  I have found a few sits where it was up and had it removed.  But I 
> have not done anything to a few systems that are up which don't seem to 
> have bought it, that does not mean I can't, the law does allow me and as 
> a member of the Software Publishers Association, could have them take 
> action against anyone using or distributing the program.

I love GBBS! I operated a GBBS board for several years on behalf of a 
local computer club. Lance gave us great support. I wrote a segment that 
made the BBS appear to have crashed into Applesoft. It gave joke answers 
to commands in a manner similar to Bruce Tognazzini's Super Hi-res Chess 
program (ca. 1978). It amused the kids who frequented the board no end.

As you consider what model to use for distributing your software, I urge 
you to consider the advantages of open source:

<http://www.opensource.org/advocacy/case_for_business.php>

It would allow you to ignore the mooches and focus on your supported 
customers.

What is your plan for existing customers?

-- 
John
jmatthews at wright dot edu
www dot wright dot edu/~john.matthews/