the provide, license verbs

[Chris F Clark]

The "problem" is that corporations like to define their coproprate
self, including all those that they hire or sub-contract from as a
single entity, just like the "end user you" (which may by the same
extension be a family all sharing one computer).

Now, traditionally, companies have not tracked down individual users
of copyrighted materials and tried to enforce non-infringement clauses
upon them.  However, traditionally, the mechanism for making "quality"
duplication of originals was by itself prohibitively expensive.  So,
if I took out my cassette deck and recorded a song that was playing on
the radio, it wasn't much harm to their profits--I would probably
eventually buy the same material (on an LP record or a 45) to get a
durable copy of decent quality.  Equally importantly, if some money
making concern, say a dentists office wanted to play the music,
companies *would* charge them for individual use--e.g. Muzak.

Now, in constrast, things have changed.  Everyone can make high
qualtiy copies with an effectively infinite life-span.  The music and
movie industries have started suing individual users.  It isn't a far
stretch to see the same things applying to software.

As a result, I think at some point someone will sue someone over the
fact that the party being sued "internally" distributed software
violating the suing party's license which had requirements on
distribution that the party being sued did not meet.

-Chris

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Chris Clark                    Internet   :  compres at world.std.com
Compiler Resources, Inc.       Web Site   :  http://world.std.com/~compres  
23 Bailey Rd                   voice      :  (508) 435-5016
Berlin, MA  01503  USA         fax        :  (978) 838-0263  (24 hours)
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