davel@booboo.SanDiego.NCR.COM (David Lord) (05/17/91)
In article <1991May16.040035.18267@ms.uky.edu> sean@ms.uky.edu (Sean Casey) writes: >rschmidt@copper.ucs.indiana.edu (roy schmidt) says: > >[The University must register to be legal.] > >Not if they obtained their copy legally. This is almost impossible >since Pkware is publically distributed, and is available at numerous >sites for anonymous access. > >They can do what they want with their legally obtained copy. There is >no license, because they didn't sign one. Copyright law does not >govern how they use it. They don't owe a dime. > >Sean I've seen this argument and it sounds like the same sort of mumbo-jumbo espoused by the people who claim that income taxes are voluntary and that the government has no right to force you to pay them. If you look at what large corporations do (the ones with all the expensive lawyers) you'll find they typically buy site licenses to to many popular shareware programs. Someday the validity of shareware licenses (along with shrinkwrap licenses on commercial software) may be tested in the courts. Unless you want to be the one to pay for that court challenge it's probably best to assume the licenses are enforcable. Not only that but it's in all our interests to encourage the development and distribution of shareware. -- Dave.Lord@SanDiego.NCR.COM
sean@ms.uky.edu (Sean Casey) (05/24/91)
davel@booboo.SanDiego.NCR.COM (David Lord) writes: |I've seen this argument and it sounds like the same sort of mumbo-jumbo |espoused by the people who claim that income taxes are voluntary and that |the government has no right to force you to pay them. Check your ears. It's for real. No signature, no license. Sean -- ** Sean Casey <sean@s.ms.uky.edu>