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From: jmr@nada.kth.se (Jan Michael Rynning)
Newsgroups: gnu.emacs,comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: ./etc/APPLE.  No Free Software for Mac users.
Message-ID: <570@draken.nada.kth.se>
Date: 26 Sep 88 09:13:59 GMT
References: <10152@dartvax.Dartmouth.EDU> <8809231927.AA00737@sugar-bombs.ai.mit.edu> <10172@dartvax.Dartmouth.EDU>
Reply-To: jmr@nada.kth.se (Jan Michael Rynning)
Organization: Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
Lines: 41

In article <10172@dartvax.Dartmouth.EDU> earleh@eleazar.dartmouth.edu (Earle R. Horton) writes:
>[lots of text removed]                  If this means that one cannot
>freely copy another's products, and that the original creator of an
>artistic work or useful thing has fairly broad rights over those who
>wish to duplicate it, then as a programmer I would welcome Apple's
>success in this matter.  Sure it is morally superior to give away what
>I have done, but I don't think I would like to be forced to by law.
>
>     I do not know what the results of thing might be, but if your
>rights somehow conflict with those of Apple Computer Company or with
>mine, then that is why we have courts in this country, to resolve
>these differences.

The result will be that some of the programs you thought were yours,
no longer are, because someone else holds the copyright. You may even
have to pay damages for programs you wrote five or ten years ago.

>                    I can imagine that possible success for Apple in
>this matter might provide me with greater control over my own work,
>and with the freedom to perhaps do things which others might find
>unpopular.  Perhaps someday I will write a truly wonderful program, or
>design a computer with incredible capabilities.  Perhaps I might even
>want to become the exclusive disributor of the thing, to the great
>dismay of those who would like to benefit from my creative efforts.
>Too bad for them!

If your program/computer turns out to be a success, companies with
zillions of bucks, and tons of lawyers and copyrights will sue you
for copyright infringement, sure as hell. And if you don't have the
zillions of bucks to stand up against them, you'll lose. You spent
years of creativity and hard work on your program/computer, and one
day it's no longer yours. Too bad for you!

>[more text removed]

Jan Michael Rynning,			jmr@nada.kth.se
Department of Numerical Analysis	If you can't fully handle domains:
  and Computing Science,		ARPA: jmr%nada.kth.se@uunet.uu.net
Royal Institute of Technology,		UUCP: {uunet,mcvax,...}!nada.kth.se!jmr
S-100 44 Stockholm,			BITNET: jmr@sekth
Sweden.					Phone: +46-8-7906288