System Software & KopyrighTs

[claris!wombat@ames.arc.nasa.gov (Scott Lindsey)]

This really doesn't belong in this group any more, but...

   Really-From: tim@toad.com (Tim Maroney)

   Quoted-From: mcvax!eutrc3.urc.tue.nl!rcbamw@uunet.UU.NET (m.waucomont)
   >>You don't purchase copies of the Finder.  Upgrades are free.
   >
   >What I meant to say is, that if you read the Copyright Law carefully, you
   >will notice that you are allowed to only have *ONE* disk with the software,
   >wich may be loaded into the computers memory for execution. This is the 
   >only form of duplication allowed. But all Macintosh users I know have
   >*multiple* copies of the Finder. That is illegal. Indeed the Mac comes with
   >the Finder and indeed upgrades are free, but you _are supposed to_ boot from
   >the original floppy. No  copies allowed... says the law. So, if you stick 
   >to the letter of the law, all Macintosh users violate the Copyright Law and
   >should be prosecuted.

   Absolute nonsense.  

You're both wrong.  And right.  Commercial software used to be distributed
with the notice:

	Apple Software shall not be copied onto another diskette (except for
	archive purposes) or into memory unless as part of the execution of
	<program>.  When <program> has completed execution Apple Software
	shall not be used by any other program.

I haven't seen this notice on software in a year or so.  Things change.