davidm@sugar.hackercorp.com (David Martin) (05/08/90)
ALL: I have been hearing increasing comments locally about an on going problem with Fred Fish and Spectrum Holobyte about Tetris. Everyone is aware of the massive Fred Fish PD disk collection. He has been doing a wonderful job for sometime. I have heard that he is being threatened because several of his disks contain programs that have the look and feel of Tetris. I think this should concern everyone and I hope that Spectrum will leave Fred alone. Voice your opinion here and everywhere. Let's protect freely distributeable software. It's an important paryt of our lives. Some of these PD products are better than the original! Let's keep the PD worldd safe! FYI: Spectrum Holobytes address is: 2061 Challenger Drive Alameda, CA 94501 phone 415-522-3584 415-522-1164 --
papa@pollux.usc.edu (Marco Papa) (05/09/90)
In article <5672@sugar.hackercorp.com> davidm@sugar.hackercorp.com (David Martin) writes: > I have been hearing increasing comments locally about an >on going problem with Fred Fish and Spectrum Holobyte >about Tetris. Everyone is aware of the massive Fred Fish >PD disk collection. He has been doing a wonderful job >for sometime. I have heard that he is being threatened >because several of his disks contain programs that have >the look and feel of Tetris. I think this should concern >everyone and I hope that Spectrum will leave Fred alone. >Voice your opinion here and everywhere. Let's protect >freely distributeable software. It's an important paryt >of our lives. Some of these PD products are better than >the original! Let's keep the PD worldd safe! Sorry to sound a 'contrarian', but your target has all the rights to protect its investment (in this instance SO' copyright on Tetris). As Fred has mentioned, as far as copyrights are concerned it doesn't matter whether the infringer made any profit out of the infringment. If SO has filed for copyrights properly, they can collect triple damages out of an infringment lawsuit, NO MATTER what was the actual profit, if any, made by the infringer. I've seen some of the screen shots of these 'clones'. They indeed look IDENTICAL to the actual SO's Tetris, and as such likely infringe on the 'visual' copyright (note that the current deposit requirements for computer games include BOTH source code and/or object + screen shots, all part of the same filing). If you are upset at the fact that SO intends to enforce their rights under current laws, then write your congressman and tell him to change the laws. -- Marco -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= "Xerox sues somebody for copying?" -- David Letterman -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
andrewsr@acdc.rutgers.edu (Rich Andrews) (05/09/90)
How far does such a "look and feel" copyright go? Will it affect such games as Blockout? How much of the PD stuff could be changed to comply to the copyright? Would a Tetris-like copyright cover all "falling puzzle" games? -- // Rich | "Like any good philosophical discussion, the | // \X/ Andrews | conclusion is left unresolved." -McLaughlin | \X/
" Seaman) (05/09/90)
papa@pollux.usc.edu (Marco Papa) writes: < davidm@sugar.hackercorp.com (David Martin) writes: < > I have been hearing increasing comments locally about an < >on going problem with Fred Fish and Spectrum Holobyte < >about Tetris... < < As Fred has mentioned, as far as copyrights are concerned it doesn't < matter whether the infringer made any profit out of the infringment. < If SH has filed for copyrights properly, they can collect triple damages < out of an infringment lawsuit, NO MATTER what was the actual profit, if any, < made by the infringer. Yes, they do have every right to pursue and collect damages. They are not, however, required to do so. < I've seen some of the screen shots of these 'clones'. They indeed look < IDENTICAL to the actual SH's Tetris, and as such likely infringe on the < 'visual' copyright (note that the current deposit requirements for < computer games include BOTH source code and/or object + screen shots, < all part of the same filing). I have only seen two of the clones myself. One (which WAS called 'Tetris') GURU'ed immediately on my 2500, and was deleted. I waste enough time on other things; I don't need to waste more time on poorly written software. The other, called 'Tetrix', runs fine, multitasks well, and does maintain the 'look and feel' of falling geometric shapes formed from colored blocks (though very little else about this version resembles SH's product). < If you are upset at the fact that SH intends to enforce their rights < under current laws, then write your congressman and tell him to change the < laws. What I am upset about is the fact that SH produced a product of inferior quality, which does not multitask, does not run easily from WB or CLI, cannot be installed on a hard disk (it is copy protected), and will not run on a 68020 (a 2620 board, for those who are interested). Initial reports indicate that it doesn't run on an A3000, either. It appears that SH feels the existence of these 'clones' is damaging sales of their product. It is entirely possible that the only reason they have sold as many as they have is due to the addictive nature of the game itself, not their implementation. By way of example, I bought my copy sight unseen, after having tried the Mac version (which can be installed on a hard disk). < -- Marco -- Chris (Insert phrase here) Seaman | /o -- -- -- cseaman@sequent <or> ||| -- -- - I'm Outta Here, Man! ...!uunet!sequent!cseaman |vvvv/ -- -- - The Home of the Killer Smiley |___/ -- -- --
jcm8_cif@uhura.cc.rochester.edu (Judy) (05/09/90)
In article <34620@sequent.UUCP> cseaman@sequent.UUCP (Chris Seaman) writes: >What I am upset about is the fact that SH produced a product of inferior >quality, which does not multitask, does not run easily from WB or CLI, >cannot be installed on a hard disk (it is copy protected), and will not >run on a 68020 (a 2620 board, for those who are interested). Initial >reports indicate that it doesn't run on an A3000, either. > >By way of example, I bought my copy sight unseen, >after having tried the Mac version (which can be installed on a hard disk). I also bought SH's version after having seen the Mac version, which I liked. I was really disappointed by the amiga version. SH didn't even bother to make a new booklet. They include the Mac book and a single sheet of changes for the amiga. I have only played it twice (once to see it myself, and once to show it to friend.) It's too much of a bother to run. I can't even make a backup. SH wants $10 and then they will send me a backup. I'd much rather play Obsess (or any of the other PD games). It's a much better game and also much more convenient. -Judy Mathers jcm8_cif@uhura.cc.rochester.edu