[Simh] ka655/ka655x + copyright/licensing issues

[Vince Mulhollon]

On Wed, Aug 29, 2007 at 04:29:33PM +0200, Peter Lund wrote:
> So I understand your concern.  I was not intending to slight you for
> being prudent.

Not slighted, we both seem to have same goal, but appeared to have
different perspectives.

> Let's hope some solution occurs at some point.

Oh it'll be solved someday... heres the deal.

The first vax was released on october 25 1977.

Worst case is if the microcode we have was a later version after jan 1st
1978, then as a corporate creation its copyrighted for 95 years from 
publication or 120 years from creation whichever is shorter.  So, give 
or take sometime around 2100, we're finally free, kind of like Mickey
Mouse.

Best case is if it were an original microcode from the original release
and it did not have a copyright notice sticker or silk screen or note
in the docs that it was copyrighted, then it simply isn't copyrighted 
per the 1909 act and is already in the public domain, kind of like 
old versions of IBM's MVS.

Would you agree that American copyright law is pretty screwed up?

I am not a lawyer and this is not legal advice and the law changes on 
a daily basis anyway, but this is more or less correct at this time.