Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!mcnc!ecsvax.uncecs.edu!mvolo From: mvolo@uncecs.edu (Michael R. Volow) Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc Subject: Re: Legality of "old" software disposition Summary: What about old out of "print" software? Keywords: Old versions, sharing software Message-ID: <1989Sep26.015940.845@uncecs.edu> Date: 26 Sep 89 01:59:40 GMT References: <3772@blake.acs.washington.edu> Distribution: na Organization: UNC Educational Computing Service Lines: 24 In article <3772@blake.acs.washington.edu>, djo7613@blake.acs.washington.edu (Dick O'Connor) writes: > She purchased a copy of First Publisher, Version 2 I guess, some time back. > Then she upgraded to the next number (2.1?), and was sent a new manual and > an entire new disk set...in other words, "the works." The upgrade price was not > equivalent to the purchase price, but was more like $30 as I recall. > > Her question was, "Can I give my copy of 2.0 to my folks, for playing > around on their home PC?" This stumped me a bit from the purely legal > standpoint (I *know* it happens a lot in "reality"). If you actually > "owned" the software, the answer would be YES, but since you only license it, > probably the answer is NO. But does that restriction bar you from RESALE > only, or from all possible "redistribution," including charitable donations? A related question is, suppose I have a software package that is no longer manufactured or available, make it a relatively inexpensive one at that ($40). I still use it occasionally and don't want to part with it. But my friend wants one too, can't buy one because it's no longer produced. I would guess that legally I should not give him a copy of it. If it were an out of print book, unavailable second-hand, I would have no qualms about xeroxing it. But I don't know if this applies to software. M Volow, VA Medical Center, Durham, NC 27705 mvolo@ecsvax.UUCP 919 286 0411