jhv@houxk.UUCP (06/02/83)
I am struck by George Brett's implication that there is something illegal about an individual reselling something that the person has legally purchased. I grant that software is a sensitive issue and that copying for a profit is illegal and that making copies for friends is borderline illegal; but if I cannot sell my legal copy of software, thereby giving up all my rights to that software, why is it legal for me to conduct normal trade, which is nothing more then people buying and selling goods and services which other people have bought and sold? I am sure there is some basic legal principle involved here, but alas, a laywer I am not.
jcw@cvl.UUCP (06/02/83)
Subject: Re: "use[rd] software"
Newsgroups: net.micro
The piracy discussion has brought up an interesting question about
reselling software. I believe that it is usually the policy of
many software makers to allow transfer of software so long as you
release all rights (and copies!). I'm basing this on the terms
of sale of Infocom, Microsoft, and IBM who all include a passage
to that effect.
-Jay Weber {seismo!rlgvax!cvl!jcw}UNKNOWN:vmicro1@ucbvax.UUCP (06/03/83)
The key is "reselling". The critical difference between, say, reselling a comic book, and "reselling" a program, is that a comic book is a unique item. If someone decided to make a copy of a book and sell it, he would be violating copyright; if he sold his own copy, he would not be in violation. Another analogy: Giving away a dollar bill is kosher. Making a copy of one is not. josh
casterli@csu-cs.UUCP (06/05/83)
It is not "borderline illegal" to make copies of software for friends, it is just plain illegal. Leroy Casterline Fort Collins, Colorado
dave@rocksvax.UUCP (06/07/83)
It seems to me that the software is licensed to the machine not the person.
When that person sells that machine, the software went with it, the man who
used to own the machine no longer can use it, he has no machine, so I don't see
the problem!
If you charge everytime you change hands, then I would say it falls in the
same rape catagory NY state uses when you buy used motor vehicles, they
tax you everytime it changes hands. Seems this is more insidious than a
value added tax, since clearly no value is added with a the vehicle or
the software.
Dave Sewhuk
Arpa: Sewhuk.HENR@PARC-MAXC
uucp: {rochester,amd70,allegra}!rocksvax!davewjv@ihuxi.UUCP (06/15/83)
Making copies of software for a friend is NOT borderline illegal.
IT IS ILLEGAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ihnss!ihuxi!wjv
William Vojak WECo