Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site cca.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!mit-eddie!genrad!decvax!cca!dee From: dee@cca.UUCP (Donald Eastlake) Newsgroups: net.emacs Subject: Re: legal question Message-ID: <3551@cca.UUCP> Date: Mon, 29-Jul-85 22:09:43 EDT Article-I.D.: cca.3551 Posted: Mon Jul 29 22:09:43 1985 Date-Received: Sun, 18-Aug-85 01:29:05 EDT Reply-To: dee@cca-unix.UUCP (Donald Eastlake) Organization: Computer Corp. of America, Cambridge Lines: 24 I don't think there is any way to stop someone from selling GNU EMACS. When something is not property (in some sense no one has or is asserting any "proprietary" rights to it) you can do what you like, including trading it (or copies of it) with other people for money or whatever. Even if something is copyrighted the "exclusive right to vend" the copyrighted work that is granted to the holder of the copyright applies only to the first sale. Thereafter, it the particular copy may be transfered freely (although not further copied). Copyright notices that say you can make further copies as long as they are not "for profit" or some similarly nebulous handware are meaningless and unenforceable as far as I can see. The only way to stop someone from selling GNU EMACS would be a trade-secret-like contract. Whether you sell something with the GNU EMACS really has nothing to do with it. (I think the usual notice about people not being lawyers and speaking only for themselves is a bit silly but both of these are true for me.) -- +1 617-492-8860 Donald E. Eastlake, III ARPA: dee@CCA-UNIX usenet: {decvax,linus}!cca!dee