At 11:43 pm +0100 9/4/99, Chris White wrote: >This is an extract from a online Law site > >>In many cases, unlicensed copies of computer programs, including copies >that have been downloaded from >an IAP server, cannot be executed without an >appropriate serial number, or unless the program is altered in >some way to >bypass a copy protection device. Serial numbers and cracker tools are used >by unscrupulous >persons solely to bypass such devices, and to make it >possible for them to use pirated software. A person or >entity who makes >serial numbers and/or cracker tools available to such persons, therefore, >commits >contributory infringement, and becomes liable to the copyright >owner for damages under the Copyright Law. > >Which surley means if you deprotect , or offer said deprotection to anyone >else in any form you are liable?
No and yes, in that order. Nothing in that quote says it is illegal to deprotect software that you have bought. It's fuzzy, but it probably isn't illegal to deprotect software even which you haven't bought, although downloading it in the first place probably was illegal. It is illegal to distribute the deprotection to someone else. >So if a disk has not standard form of information , and anyone but the >copyright owner creates a program to read this they have broken copyright >law? No, it is not illegal to create the program. It is only illegal to distribute it. >So making a backup , the use of software/hardware to do this is breaking >copyright law? If you wrote the software yourself, then No it is not breaking the law. >Or am i just imaging this? Slightly discontinuous logic, IMHO. Andrew -- | Andrew Collier | email [EMAIL PROTECTED] | Talk sense to a | Part 2 NatSci | http://carou.sel.cam.ac.uk/ | fool and he +----------------+-----------------------------+ calls you foolish | Selwyn College Student Computer Support Team | -- Euripides
