consp11@bingvaxu.cc.binghamton.edu (Brett L. Kessler) (05/10/90)
Here's a question: If the PD (or Sharware - whatever) game was written for that platform _first_, then couldn't the author of that sue a company such as Spectrum Holobyte for infringing on the "look and feel" of that person's product? This does, of course, depend upon whether or not the PD version contains the (C) notice in it's docs (or wherever). +------///-+------------------| BRETT KESSLER |------------------+-\\\------+ | /// | consp11@bingvaxu.cc.binghamton.edu | \\\ | | \\\/// | consp11@bingvaxa.BITNET | \\\/// | | \XX/ | (PeopleLink) B.KESSLER | \XX/ | +----------+-----------------------------------------------------+----------+
papa@pollux.usc.edu (Marco Papa) (05/10/90)
In article <3450@bingvaxu.cc.binghamton.edu> consp11@bingvaxu.cc.binghamton.edu (Brett L. Kessler) writes: >Here's a question: If the PD (or Sharware - whatever) game was >written for that platform _first_, then couldn't the author of that >sue a company such as Spectrum Holobyte for infringing on the "look >and feel" of that person's product? Copyrights are not related to "platforms" in general, though it is usual that multiple copyright filings be done when "major portions" of a program are modified. The amount of major portions is not spelled out anywhere and it has beeen decided by the courts on a case by case basis. If only minor portions are modified, no new filing is needed (even if the new code is for a new "platform"). Developing a "clone/ripoff" of a program on another platform is still infringement, plain and simple. >This does, of course, depend upon whether or not the PD version >contains the (C) notice in it's docs (or wherever). PD (public domain) and copyrighted are MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE. Putting a copyright notice on a program AND a comment to the effect "this program is public domain" is really dumb, and will make any claim of copyright invalid for any practical purpose. -- Marco -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= "Xerox sues somebody for copying?" -- David Letterman -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
consp11@bingvaxu.cc.binghamton.edu (Brett L. Kessler) (05/10/90)
In article <24606@usc.edu> papa@pollux.usc.edu (Marco Papa) writes: >In article <3450@bingvaxu.cc.binghamton.edu> I write: >>This does, of course, depend upon whether or not the PD version >>contains the (C) notice in it's docs (or wherever). > >PD (public domain) and copyrighted are MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE. Putting a >copyright notice on a program AND a comment to the effect "this program >is public domain" is really dumb, and will make any claim of copyright >invalid for any practical purpose. I should rephrase that. Please replace all occurrences of "PD" or "public domain" in the above paragraph with the phrase "shareware" or "freeware." (Yes, I know the difference in all of 'em, I just got sloppy in my terminology.) +------///-+------------------| BRETT KESSLER |------------------+-\\\------+ | /// | consp11@bingvaxu.cc.binghamton.edu | \\\ | | \\\/// | consp11@bingvaxa.BITNET | \\\/// | | \XX/ | (PeopleLink) B.KESSLER | \XX/ | +----------+-----------------------------------------------------+----------+