Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!looking!brad
From: brad@looking.UUCP (Brad Templeton)
Newsgroups: comp.binaries.ibm.pc.d
Subject: Re: PK361.EXE
Message-ID: <1942@looking.UUCP>
Date: 16 Aug 88 18:41:36 GMT
References: <3656@bsu-cs.UUCP>
Reply-To: brad@looking.UUCP (Brad Templeton)
Organization: Looking Glass Software Ltd.
Lines: 20

I don't think anybody is arguing for the copyright of file formats, and
in particular the reading of them.

I don't think anybody has considered suit over a program that simply reads
a format.  In fact, most people publish their formats to that end.

What people might properly object to is other people writing out files
according to somebody's format, but doing it wrong and thus compromising
the standard.

Which does not mean that people should be unable to extend standards, but
that it should be clear that this is what is being done.

On the other hand, anybody who wants to define a standard should leave
room for a way to define extensions.  If they don't they're asking for it,
both if somebody else extends and if they extend.  So it's not clear cut
with SEA.  (Unless ARC files do have a version number in them and PKWARE
ignored this.)
-- 
Brad Templeton, Looking Glass Software Ltd.  --  Waterloo, Ontario 519/884-7473