After an M$ Product Becomes Obsolete,

[Tomboy]

Hi,

I was wondering about what are we permitted to do with M$ products that become obsolete and are no longer sold or supported by M$? Can they be freely copied, reverse engineered with impunity, modified to suit our fancy? Any comments, or ideas about the status of these newly orphaned products (e.g. Windows 3.11, DOS 6.22, Windows 95, and soon Windows NT 4.0)?

Tomboy

[tubebuoy]

Nice question. 6 months ago I needed an 'exhaust diverter valve' for a 1982 Ford Granada. After checking out Pep Boys,Western Auto, Etc. It became obvious they could'nt help me. So I called Ford Motor Company and they laughed at me! "we stoped making that part 12 years ago".

I had NO choice but to search the underground to get what I wanted.

Understand, I needed this part to pass the emissions test to get my safety sticker. Can I sue Ford cause I can't get support? Can Ford sue me for going underground to get my part? Is this car mine or do I have to reactivate every time I replace the battery?

}---:?

[Dave]

I believe that even though it's no longer sold or supported it still belongs to MS and would be protected by there patents and copywrights and they still "own it".

Just because it's not being sold or supported doesn't make the sofware fall into the pubic domain or they would simply never stop selling it.


I guess cars are a little different.
Software your only buying a license to use it under the terms of the EULA.
Once you buy a car it's yours and Ford can't sue you if you pick up a part from somewere else, and I doupt they gave you a contract or gaurente that they would make all the parts for over 20 years.
Dave

[Nemesis]

Quote:

Originally posted by Dave@Jan 24 2003, 03:17 AM
I believe that even though it's no longer sold or supported it still belongs to MS and would be protected by there patents and copywrights and they still "own it".

Isn't there a statute-of-limitation on how long a copyright lasts on a product? Of course, this could be a mute point if M$ renews the copyright everytime.

[Zone-MR]

Copyrights last for 20 years before they fall into the public domain,

so theres still some time to go before you can use it legally....

Weather or not Microsoft will bother going after you if you use an abbandoned product is another matter, but I guess if its causing them a negative impact financially, then they won't be happy.

[Nichotin]

M$ still dont want people to copy. afaik someone got hold of a dos sourcecode lately and m$ got pissed.

[Tomboy]

Hi,

Regarding:

"Weather or not Microsoft will bother going after you if you use an abbandoned product is another matter, but I guess if its causing them a negative impact financially, then they won't be happy."

If they have stopped selling and supporting the product, how can they be financially hurt by anything you do with it? Also, I think patents last for only 14 years, while copyrights were recently extended by the US Congress (the Sonny Bono law) to 95 years for a corporation. The question remains, what can we do with abandoned software?

Tomboy

[war59312]

Whatever you want. Just like I can do whatever I want with Windows XP.

As long as you make no profit. That's mainly the only time in the USA you will get into trouble. That and you cant disturbute it. Even for free!!!

So the answer really is whatever u want with it and long as you give it to no one.

:P :P :P

cya,
Wil;

[Alpine]

Quote:

As long as you make no profit. That's mainly the only time in the USA you will get into trouble. That and you cant disturbute it. Even for free!!!

I think that's real .. but i think it's the same thing in Canada ...
Not sure of !

[war59312]

Yea well I've never heard of anyone getting it trouble except for disturbuting or selling. Anywhere.

Now mp3s to count. So everyone who has ever uploaded a file to someone else is fucked.

Some law that says you can go to jail for like 3 years or some shit.

That would suck. Hope that kazza user dont get into trouble.