🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <2719@netxcom.DHL.COM> ewiles@netxdev.UUCP (Edwin Wiles) writes:

>	Presume Farmer Bill has a cow which gets loose in Farmer George's
>	corn crop.  The cow eats some of the corn.  George, being somewhat
>	upset at loosing a part of his livelyhood, asks Bill to pay for the
>	corn lost; Bill refuses. George decides to keep the cow in lieu of
>	payment by Farmer Bill.

>	According to my last understanding of the law, George MUST return
>	the cow to Bill, or face legal action.

>Translated:

>	Bill writes a program which he posts as shareware to Usenet News.
>	This uses some of George's resources, which he is upset about paying
>	for.  Without even asking Bill, he keeps the sharware in payment for
>	the cost of the resources.

>	Similarly, George MUST "return" the shareware, he is not permitted
>	to keep the program in lieu of payment for damages perceived..


You are comparing apples with oranges here Edwin, In the first case, Farmer
Bills cow is a lifeform that runs pretty much on its own. You could say
that the cow got into Farmer Georges field by accident. (Farmer Bill did
not conciously let the cow into Farmer Georges field)
If Bill writes a shareware program and posts it to USENET, that would be 
similar to Farmer Bill opening the gate and letting the cow into the field. 
The two actions are noticeably different, and I think that in the latter
case the courts would look at it entirely different.



-- 
Jeff Troeger - Citicorp (+) TTI              "Of all the things I've lost,
3100 Ocean Park Bl.                           I miss my mind the most"
Santa Monica, Ca. 90405 (213) 450-9111 x3153
Path: {retix|philabs|csun|psivax}!ttidca!troeger or troeger@ttidca.tti.com