I know I made this point previously, but it is worth making again.

3Com's policy is at fault here with a "one size fits all" approach.

Their contract is really aimed at people who need access to pre-release
hardware and software, and has a set of onerous hardware-specific
language such as the right to enter your premises with minimal notice!  
That kind of permission requires a formal document that can't be fax'ed.

3Com should really have a simplified license agreement (not a contract) 
for non-pre-release products and restricted release products that 
preserves their intellectual property and has non-disclosure.   This 
wouldn't need the onerous language of their current agreement and 
could be fax'ed!  Since the color stuff is psuedo-announced, getting
the ROM images shouldn't require the same level of legal protection 
that it did several months ago.

Sorry to repeat.

Roger Stringer
Marietta Systems

-------------------------------------------------------
>Date: 28 Oct 1999 01:53:25 -0700
>From: "Frykholm, Niklas" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>Subject: RE: Color ROM and new POSE, where?

>I had the same problem. It is a real nuisance, especially if you work on
>projects with short deadlines. I understand that 3Com wants to protect its
>products, but frankly I fail to see what the Confidentiality Agreement
>really protects, considering that

>A) ROMs are already being distributed on warez sites (as someone reported).
>>B) Since it is (very nearly) impossible to trace the source of a ROM that
>has been spread, no one will ever be charged with having broken the
>agreement.
>C) Anyone who has a Palm device can get the ROMs without having to sign
>anything.

// Niklas

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