At 05:50 �� 16/4/2002, Rich Mellor wrote: >OOh, Phoebus, this is now approaching seriously dodgy ground. I have >various updates of the old software I can provide which enable them to >work from disk. See my web-site for details - >http://hometown.aol.co.uk/rwapsoftware/updates.html > >However. copyright is a problem - it is protected in the UK up until 50 >years after the death of the author. I am sure many of the companies even >if they were still around would be uncertain whether they or the original >author had the copyright, so this is a problem. Who do you ask for details. > >I know Alan Sugar has been trying to get hold of ex-Spectrum software >authors to enable him to sell their games again over the internet for use >on his em@iler machine. Guess he has had just as many problems. > >It was for this reason that I only supply the updates to people with the >original microdrive cartridges. > >BTW, what is : Josiah Oobadiah - some game I've never heard of??
That's exactly why I am asking for info before going on and putting them on the web :-) However there is a "workaround" provided there is a clearly stated disclaimer that says that use of this software by people that do not own it legally is an offense. (See for example MAME rom sites). That was point no. 1. Secondly, most of this software is unable to run on modern or even slighly expanded QL systems which makes it just a backup for an old machine and not something you can use with emulators (although someone could tinker the code). The versions I propose to put up will be the original ones with copy protection intact (where applicable). I do legally own (through original purchases, from eBay or other sources (gifts, etc). everything I have "imaged" already. The situation I want to remedy though is the inability to repair a dead program once the original cartridge or disk is dead... For example I bought back in the day, Karate, Sandy CP/Mulator, Spook, Hyperdrive... etc. All these are dead and I can't resurrect them. It is impossible for me to find them anywhere (and I do enjoy them you know) and if I get them from somewhere to replace my original cartridges disks I will not be breaking any laws... The same is true I think for most QL users (in any case our software is not expensive - not to the point of MS price craze that is :-). However the implications could be serious and that's exactly why I ask for information... Phoebus P.S. I found about 3 years ago Janko Mrsic Fl�gel who gave me permission to distribute his games for free (Zapper etc..) I just need to find the email... This talk reminded me of that :-)
