Re: Help!


to ranma@usagi.jrd.dec.com
from C h a e <paladine@p.imap.itd.umich.edu>
subject Re: Help!
date Sun, 1 Oct 1995 00:13:46 -0400 (EDT)
On Sat, 30 Sep 1995 Xur@aol.com wrote:

> >I hope you realize that what you are suggesting is illegal.
> 
> If you are refering to the copyright law that's mentioned at the beginning of
> most videotapes sold in the U.S., then you're not quite right.  It's only
> illegal if the receiver plans on making money by obtaining the copied tapes.
>  Getting a copy for home use is not illegal.  That's why the compnay GoVideo
> is able to sell a two-tape VCR in this country.

	Actually, it is illegal.  And it depends on what sort of license 
you get when you purchase the tape.  You are _not_ in any way or means 
purchasing a part share of a film (like 1 millionth undivided equal share 
if 1 million tapes are sold) when you buy a videotape film.  You are in 
fact buying a tape (as opposed to a movie) and a limited license to enjoy 
its content.  So depending on how the license is worded, you may not have 
to right to make a backup copy just in case your VCR eats your original.
The original copyright holder reserves _all_ rights.

	Buying recorded movies are different from buying a loaf of 
bread.  You are limited by laws on how you can utilize the recorded 
movie, whereas you can do just about anything you want (unless your local 
legislature is really uptight and perversely imaginative with just what 
can be done with bread) to a bread, even eating it!  

	By the way, your example of GoVideo is misleading.  There are 
other uses for integrated two tape VCR than copying copyrighted movies 
and those uses are legitimate, as well as convenient.

> Xur

						--C h a e

                 paladine@p.imap.itd.umich.edu,  chaean@hom.net
			  http://www.cris.com/~chaean
                 "I'm strangely attracted to Camille Paglia..."
                                "Is that wrong?"


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