[DECtalk] how to prove decTalk license status?

[joshknnd1982 at gmail.com]

Well then I guess you don't sell it, you just give it away for free. But
really I think the copyright laws in this country are messed up and are in
bad need of being changed. But I don't make the laws or own the stuff, I
just like using and playing around with it. I'm not even interested in
making money off of it. Its too bad you can't treat decTalk and other
vintage software like you treat old classic 1950s and 1960s cars. Buy them,
sell them, take them apart and put new engines in them etcetera. If only you
could treat classic software like you can treat classic or vintage vehicles.
We could do a lot more with them.



-----Original Message-----
From: Dectalk <dectalk-bounces at bluegrasspals.com> On Behalf Of Don
Sent: Sunday, June 19, 2022 11:09
To: dectalk at bluegrasspals.com
Subject: Re: [DECtalk] how to prove decTalk license status?

On 6/19/2022 7:39 AM, joshknnd1982 at gmail.com wrote:
> Ok so since I can't get ahold of Roger Dudley, is there any way at all 
> possible to prove whether or not decTalk is abandonware? Or is decTalk 
> paid software still?

Abandonware is a made-up term.

SOMEONE holds the copyright to the software (cuz most copyrights have
durations of 50+ years and DECtalk is a product of ~1980).
If you can find a notice where the CURRENT copyright holder has officially
"released" the work to the public domain (there are formulaic ways of doing
so), then you can rely on this to indemnify you from copyright infringement.

Barring that, then EVERYTHING ever written is still protected by copyright
-- which limits your right to do anything with it.

MS hasn't supported WfWG, W95, W98, W2K, XP, etc. for years.
Try taking out an ad SELLING them AS IF THEY WERE YOUR PROPERTY and see how
quickly you are notified of your breach!  :>

[Surely there is a market for someone to "assume ownership" of XP and
continue to support it -- for a fee!  Why should MS object?
Well, maybe because they don't want XP to persist and it is THEIR product to
control!]

Talk to an IP lawyer.  He'll gladly bill you for his time -- in
15 minute increments -- and give you the same advice.

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