It bugs me also. See rest of world : "Computer Active" computer magazine 12th to 25th May feature on how to find and play vintage PC games. They mention ww.abandonia.com a site for freeware, shareware and so called abandonware == programs no longer sold or supported by its developer. They note that abandonware is technically illegal but that the "copyright holders are not harmed financially by this distribution of discontinued software." It happens in PC land where the market & money amd lawyers are so much bigger and agressive. Why then are the theoretical rights of absentee copright holders in the QL world where the market is zip according to all our traders such a mega issue? No one can be harmed when sources/modifications are released where there is no market. How about this - even in a PC 100% of zero is always zero.
When will the upgrade of Perfection be release in DWJ web site. Duncan Neithercut -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of gwicks Sent: 17 May 2005 22:17 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: RE: [ql-users] Digital Precision Software ----- Original Message ----- From: "Darren Branagh" To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Tuesday, May 17, 2005 3:43 PM Subject: RE: RE: [ql-users] Digital Precision Software > > This is one of the many things that bugs the hell out of me. > > I wish there was a "statute of limitations" or similar on software, > whereby > after x years the stuff became free. I'm sure freddy would agree to > releasing it as freeware, or certainly for a giveaway price. I mean, what > real use is a piece of 10 year old QL Software other than retro/curiosity > value? You're hardly gonna run the world with it... > > There is so much good usable software out there and nobody knows its user > status - is it freeware, charityware, commercial, or what? And if we had > some certainty on a lot of this, a lot of users may be attracted back or > stay with the QL to use them, purely as tinkerers. > > I can pick up a copy of PC World, Computer Shopper, PC Pro or any other PC > Magazine and find a pile of software (often once costing hundreds of > pounds) > stuck to the front cover for the 4.99 cover price, and much of this is > less > than 2-3 years of age. You usually find v.3 or whatever on the cover disc > with an offer to get the new v.4 inside at a reduced cost - yet here we > are > debating the status of software that hasn't been sold at all, never mind > updated, for over a decade. > > Why are people so reluctant to give this stuff away? There is no money in > it > anymore. Just ask any trader :-) > > <END RANT>/ > Don't forget Freddy V. may have sold the software, but that does not mean he is the copyright holder. I have said this many times before on this list. There are doubts about the copyright position of several of the ancilliary programs that formed part of the total Perfection package. When I enquired many years ago, no one was sure of the exact copyright status of Spellchecker, for example. If my memory serves me correctly when Turbo became PD permission had to be sought not just from Freddy V., but also the various authors, Best Wishes, Geoff _______________________________________________ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm _______________________________________________ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
