Re: Tarnover

[Rubywand <rubywand@swbell.net>]

Mike Maginnis writes ...
> 
> Michael J. Mahon wrote:
> 
> >Mike Maginnis wrote:
> >
> >>I asked Electronic Arts about hosting their Apple II
> >>titles. 
 ....
> >
> >As they say, forgiveness is easier to come by than permission.  ;-)
> >
> >But now that you've asked, you're unlikely to receive either.
> >
> >-michael
> >
 ....
> 
> This is true.  Probably going to be true with most of the companies I
> ask.  I'm waiting for a reply from Activision right now.
 ....

     Might take another look at the reply from EA:

>>
Thank you for your interest in EA's old pre-Mac Apple products.  We
are not, however, authorizing you to host or otherwise offer these
games as downloads on your site, as described below.
<<

     All EA really says is that they are not _authorizing_ you to distribute,
etc. their old A2 games. There are lots of much simpler, more direct ways to
tell you that you must not in any way distribute the games.

     EA could easily have its A2 stuff pulled from the free public archives
which make it available for download. They do not do it because they _want_
their oldies distributed as widely as possible. It's great advertising, it's
free, and they do not have to mess with upgrades or give away any rights of
ownership.

     Authorizing you to distribute their A2 games specifically gives you a
legal right to do it and complicates their control of the products. Should EA
ever wish to sell the rights to some game series, the company would have to
notify you (and any other site admin to whom they had granted distribution
rights) and let you know you no longer had the right to distribute the
particular game series.

     As things stand, EA has several archives which offer EA's A2 wares for
free download with no legal strings attached-- i.e. they just do it. Unless
someone at EA screws up, the company isn't going to hand out distribution
rights for the wares.


     Anyway, EA did not say you can't offer their oldie A2 games for download
from Tarnover. Whether or not you do is still your choice.



Rubywand