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RE: [dvd-discuss] Copyright ranges





> -----Original Message-----
> From: microlenz@earthlink.net [mailto:microlenz@earthlink.net]
...
> The question I have is that we have whole theories and 
> practices related to 
> abandoned REAL property or abandoned Personal property (in LA 
> Co. I believe it 
> is under $10 keep over that turn into LAPD or sherriff) but 
> what of abandoned 
> Intellectual property? Unlike the former two, that is not 
> localized but global 
> in nature. Why should abandoned intellectual property be 
> given a century of 
> protection?
> 
...

Now that is an _excellent_ point!  There are people out
wanting to distribute "ancient" computer & video games that 
are being held back by this very issue.  For example, here
is a notice from www.mame.net


[blockquote]
Warning! MAME is an emulator. It reproduces, more or less faithfully, the
behavior of various arcade machines. But hardware is useless without
software, so images (files) of the ROMs which run on that hardware are
required. Such ROMs, like all commercial software, are copyrighted.
Therefore, it is illegal to possess a ROM image file if you do not own the
original ROM. Needless to say, ROMs are not distributed together with MAME.
Distribution of MAME with ROM images is a violation of copyright law and a
violation of the MAME license, and it should be promptly reported to the
authors so that appropriate legal action can be taken. 
[/blockquote]

Now we're talking games like the original Space Invaders, Gorf, Donkey
Kong, etc.  When was the last time you saw one of these in a modern
arcade?  These properties _are_ abandoned IP.  It would be interesting
if one of these groups sued the owner of the copyright for one of these
properties for the right to distribute it.  A "s**t or get off the
pot" suit, as it were.  (I wonder if the EFF would be interested in
that sort of thing ...)

-- 
-Richard M. Hartman
hartman@onetouch.com

186,000 mi./sec ... not just a good idea, it's the LAW!