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- Path: sparky!uunet!usc!rutgers!cbmvax!rehab1!amisys!mkoch
- From: mkoch@amisys.UUCP (Mike Koch)
- Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.datacomm
- Subject: Public domain (was Re: C-NET)
- Message-ID: <mkoch.04ax@amisys.UUCP>
- Date: 3 Sep 92 18:50:02 GMT
- Organization: AMiSYS Consulting
- Lines: 32
- X-NewsSoftware: GRn 1.16e (7/4/92) by Mike Schwartz & Michael B. Smith
-
- In article <tdietz.04wn@tcedge.mi.org> tdietz@tcedge.mi.org (Tom Dietz) writes:
- > In an article, chucks@pnet51.orb.mn.org (Erik Funkenbusch) writes:
- > >tdietz@tcedge.mi.org (Tom Dietz) writes:
- > >
- > >ummm.. you better check your legalities again. PD means PUBLIC DOMAIN.
- > >Anything in the public domain can be used by anyone, for anything. You can
- > >even copywrite something public domain yourself, though it may not stand up
- >
- > Well, you can call the Copyright office in Washington D.C. Public Domain does
- > indeed mean "public domain", it does give you the right to own it, this is
- > true. However, the message on Steve Drews code says that you cannot
- > distribute his code outside of his archive. And it does clearly display the
- > Copyright notice. This argument has become very tiresome, I have seen that
- > many people do not care if someone steals other code, that is fine. If you
- > enjoy your BBS program and have no problem with ethics, fine. I however have
- > different views, that I will write something, then sell it, not steal it, and
- > then sell it. That is my personal opinion on this subject, like it has been
- > from day one. Not to discredit anyone, but this argument is just going in
- > circles.
-
- It's not going in circles, but I *do* think some people are confused. Some
- authors label their code as both public domain *and* claim a copyright. This
- is not possible. If they want to claim a copyright, it is not public domain.
- If they wish it to be public domain, they cannot claim a copyright. Now, I've
- never seen Steve Drew's code, but if there's a copyright notice in there, then
- it is definitely NOT public domain, and anyone who uses that code without
- Steve's permission is doing so illegally, and is leaving themselves open to a
- potential lawsuit. But only if Steve decides to enforce his copyright.
- --
-
- =============================================================================
- Mike Koch rehab1!amisys!mkoch@cbmvax.commodore.com CI$: 70017,2677
-