Post by thread:Software Protection laws

Hello all, According to most of the software I have seen, installed and used: You may copy the software for yourself only. You may install it on two computers only if: 1. Only one computer maybe running the software at one time. 2. Only one person may use the software, no one else may use it. It is licensed only to the person purchasing the software. If you need more information on this subject, there is an agency called the SPA I beleive. They are the ones that advertise the $100,000 judgement against someone for copying Harvard Graphics. Brian

This is actually an adaptation of the copyright laws relating to print materials. with no other existing case-law on which to base software copyright laws, the lawmakers used print publishing as a metaphor for software publishing. A book can only be read by one person at a time (Unless its your mother-in-law reading over your shoulder). You can make as many copies as you want as long as you don't give them to someone so they can read the book at the same time. Note that item 2 on your list is not usually the case. Most software licenses these days state that you can install on as many computers as desired, as long as two people can't run it at the same time. However, as long as they are _not_ running at the same time, there is no restriction on the # of people who use the program. There are, of course, exceptions. CIAO - Martin R. Green spam_OUTelimarTakeThisOuTbigfoot.com ---------- From: Brian Denneau[SMTP:.....banner7KILLspam@spam@neosoft.com] Sent: Wednesday, August 27, 1997 3:53 PM To: PICLISTKILLspamMITVMA.MIT.EDU Subject: Software Protection laws Hello all, According to most of the software I have seen, installed and used: You may copy the software for yourself only. You may install it on two computers only if: 1. Only one computer maybe running the software at one time. 2. Only one person may use the software, no one else may use it. It is licensed only to the person purchasing the software. If you need more information on this subject, there is an agency called the SPA I beleive. They are the ones that advertise the $100,000 judgement against someone for copying Harvard Graphics. Brian