> 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
> >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.
Why not? Where is written than you can deprotect the software you have
bought?
Some authors sell two different versions (tape & disk) of ZXS programs. And
the tape versions are protected, so if anyone buy a disk drive, he must buy
a new version (tape to disk upgrade) of the software. I think he cannot
simply make and use software which will depretect the tape and copy it to
the disk.
> 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 do anything with the software you don't own!
> >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.
I think it IS illegal.
You can do that program only for educational purposes (at least in some
countries). But :))) you can declare anything as "educational purposes",
since you are learning how to make something :)))
> >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.
Again, you cannot make the copies of any software.
That's the problem of old software on tapes. How can it alive, when we
cannot make the backups?
> Andrew
p.s. Copyright laws can be a bit different in some countries (e.g. Cuba,
China, Polland)
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Aley [eili] Keprt - student, programmer (multimedia soft. etc.)
phone: +420-68-538 70 35
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