From: bill@bilver.uucp (Bill Vermillion)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.sysv386
Subject: Re: DELL SVR4 - separate /usr and /var filesystem?
Keywords: dell svr4 filesystem
Date: 12 Sep 92 16:34:14 GMT
Organization: W. J. Vermillion - Winter Park, FL

In article <1992Sep10.181129.5826@godzilla.quotron.com> sandy@godzilla.quotron.com (Sanford Zelkovitz) writes:
>In article <1992Sep10.042359.2015@bilver.uucp> bill@bilver.uucp (Bill Vermillion) writes:
>>In article <1992Sep9.135941.13504@godzilla.quotron.com> sandy@godzilla.quotron.com (Sanford Zelkovitz) writes:
>>>In article <BuB4tJ.FK0@gator.rn.com> larry@gator.rn.com (Larry Snyder) writes:
>>
>>>>As a bonus, Dell comes with all kinds of PDS ported and ready to run. 
>>
>>>I hope that they got the OK from the authors of the PD software! If not,
>>>they may be violating the copyrights! If they are distributing any of my
>>>PD software, they never contacted me for my OK!

>>PD - PUBLIC DOMAIN.  If an author puts software in the Public Domain he
>>loses all rights and control.

>>Freely distributable copyrighted software means the author retains the
>>right to control the distribution.

>You will notice that a considerable amount of software, that is put into the 
>public domain, may actually have certain restrictions put upon it; such as
>not allowing the software to be used for profitable ventures without explicit
>consent from the author. 

Sandy - while not a copyright expert I am fairly familiar with the
copyright laws since we processed several hundred copyrights while I
was working in music business. (We meant the studio I was working at).

>In my old "DOS" days, I wrote a considerable amount of software which I placed
>into the public domain. Even to this day, many of the public domain companies
>that bundle PD software onto distribution disks, request my release in
>writing.

That is good!

>Also, if I am not mistaken, all software that is written, even if it is not
>offically copyrighted, contains an implicit copyright. This statement may,
>in fact, not be true; however, I think that it really is.

But you must include a copyright notice in the code saying that is it
is copyrighted - you do not have to file but you must include the
notice.  And (c) doesn't cut it.  To be legal you must include the word
copyright OR the c in a CIRCLE - not parentheses.

>As far as I am concerned, whenever I put code in the PD, the users can use
>it as they see fit; however, as I stated previously, you will see code that
>is put into the PD with published restrictions.

And again = PD is PUBLIC DOMAIN.  Once anything is release to PUBLIC
DOMAIN - the author has absolutely NO CONTROL over it, and the public
and do ANYTHING they want with it.

Copyrighted material may be noted as freely distributeable, and you can
you can put restrictions on it.

But if you have words indicating that is is Public Domain, you can't
copyright it.

I'd make sure the words Public Domain do NOT occur in your copyright
notice.  The problem is that if it came to a court of law you'd
probably lose.

I just grep'ed your Xbbs code posted here.   The only copyright strings
I found were for Dighera and the Sealink stuff.   There is nothing in
the code that indicates you have a copyright to it.   That I hope is an
oversight on your part, if not any of it can be used anywhere, and the
only permissions reqiered are from Dighera Data Services and from
System Enhancements.

Just remember, if you want to control the code, you must put a
copyright statement in it.  

Now to change the subject.

I see by the code you have really been working on this a long time.

I have had many excellent reports on it from users who have used it
locally, and you are to be thanked and congratulated for the hard work
you have put into it for the benefit of a large number of people.

I'll thank you for the thousands of users who don't even know who you
are.

Bill


-- 
Bill Vermillion - bill@bilver.oau.org  bill.vermillion@oau.org
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