🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <18590@vax5.CIT.CORNELL.EDU> ygxj@vax5.cit.cornell.edu () writes:
>Can I get into trouble if I posted a public domain version
>of Tetrix?  I'm just about done porting the unix version to the
>mac.  It'll be a shame if I couldn't distribute it, it's such an
>addictive game.  :)
>
No, there is no problem as long as you created your work independently, and
without the aid of the spectrum holobyte sources.  Also, the game can't have
too much of the look and feel of the commerical version, i.e. no background
screens, don't use the same patterns for the blocks, ideally, you should have
created it without even viewing the spectrum holobyte version.  Of course, this
is all academic, but basically in order to prove copyright infringement, one
must first prove Access to the copyrighted work and in addiation, prove 
sufficient simularity to the copyrighted work.  So, if you could prove that
you wrote your version in complete isolation, you would be fine, even if your
program duplicated the copyrighted version.  Now, I don't want to scare you, 
I don't think you will have any problem.  You will be putting your version in
the public domain, thus Spectrum Holobyte will have absolutly no damages 
against you since you arn't marketing your version.  It is extremely difficult
to (almost impossible) to get an injunction against something in the public
domain, if they even bothered.  Don't worry about it, chances are no-one will
hasle you, and there are already several PD versions of tetris floating around
for several micros including the PC, and they own the copyright on that version
too.

Rob
-- 
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Damn it Jim, I'm a doctor not a <Insert Occupation Here>

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