FUSE - Z80 ROM documentation

[Jeff Spaleta]

On 9/1/05, Paul F. Johnson <paul at all-the-johnsons.co.uk> wrote:
> Eh? The ROMs are essential for all of the 8 bit machines and the wording
> from Amstrad is that as long as you're not selling (which we're not),
> then you have their blessing.  

That is absolutely not good enough.  At some point in the future...
there very well maybe be iso images of Extras that we as a project
will be encouraging vendors to sell.. vendors like cheapbytes for
example. Not only that but it has to be clear that such 3rd parties or
any party who wants to make a fedora based distro can take anything
from Extras, rebrand the collection of software and "sell" it via
pressed media or binary downloads as is the case for all other
projects in Extras.  This isn't a self-serving community, we have to
think hard about the potential infringement any derivative work might
run afoul of. If people aren't free to make a derivative work that
includes these ROM packages and sell that derivative work..then that
package has no place in Extras.  And frankly its just not clear to me
that the one group posting provides enough legal cover. Let's put it
this way.. if they had just said "no commercial use" then the ROMS
would not be allowable. Instead they say something much more vague
that may or may not be interpreted as "no commercial use."
 

> It does get a bit fuzzy in that if you're charging, as long as it's not for the ROMS, they're 
> cool with it.

The wording in the groups posting...is extremely vague here. Who
exactly gets to make the judgement as to whether the cost of a future
pressed ISO sent to you in the mail or a future binary download you
paid access for includes a value placed on the ROM packages or not?
This sounds to me like its open to rather wide interpretation...and
that could very well mean a lawsuit if the copyrights change hands
again..or if the company management changes.  If i generously
interpret what that group posting said..sure it sounds okay..but
looking at it from the standpoint of potential legal problems. the one
phrase "in any sense, charging" is a big red flag to me.


-jef