🚀 go-pugleaf

labben@iesd.auc.dk (Lars Bodin) writes:
> ggk@tirith.UUCP (Gregory Kritsch) writes:
>> labben@iesd.auc.dk (Lars Bodin) writes:

>>> And what about fonts, libraries etc. Does Commodore have copyright
>>> to this, or can I freely copy it when I release my own program since
>>> everybody, who owns an Amiga already [has] these files on [his]
>>> WorkBench disk.

>>Actually, I released a program that was default configured to use
>>Courier, Helvetica, and Times 13 fonts.  I have since received many
>>requests of the form "can you include your fonts with your releases", or
>>"where can I find those fonts?"  It seems that an awful lot of people
>>are unaware of Extras1.3:Fonts/.

>Maybe you misunderstood me, Gregory...

>The situation is: I want to release a program, which should be bootable,
>ie. I don't want my program to be started from WorkBench. So I have to
>copy some libraries, fonts and command files from the WorkBench/Extra
>disks to the disk containing my own program.

>My question is: Is it legal to copy the Workbench/Extras files to my
>own disk, and then release this disk for commercial use, or do I need
>some kind of license from Commodore?

>Maybe someone at Commodore could clear this up...

Maybe, but you can easily finesse the problem by creating a disk that
includes no Commodore files, but does contain a script (perhaps run
from workbench via IconX) that builds the bootable disk onto a blank
formatted floppy supplied by the user, using material from your disk,
the user's Workbench original, and the user's Extras original.  This
gets you out of the legal loop quite nicely, since, as noted above,
all your customers already have these disks, and you are not distributing
any Commodore-owned materials.  It also provides a readily repeatable
way for your user to create a working disk, so your customers aren't
forced to use their original disks to use your program.  Just put
"requires a user supplied blank formatted disk" on the packaging, and
you should be all set.

Now your customer can, following your directions, boot his/her system
under workbench, build the bootable disk from your original, then
reboot from your disk to be using the environment you want.

Much nicer, of course, to just make your program multitask under the
normal workbench, but perhaps there is some good reason, providing extra
utility to the customer, that you would not want that.

Kent, the man from xanth.
<xanthian@Zorch.SF-Bay.ORG> <xanthian@well.sf.ca.us>