I don't believe Compuserve actively goes out onto the Internet and retrieves
files and places them into their libraries. CIS *members* may have
done this. If you know differently, drop me a line. OTOH, I don't
see the problem either way, as long as the programs/files are
redistributable (e.g. shareware). Of course, this needs to be
considered on a case-by-case basis- if a file is not declared
as redistributable, then of course CIS has no right to redistribute it.
When I uploaded the Disney FAQ into the FLORIDA forum libs, the sysops
there were unwilling to make it available, until I pointed out that I was the
author, and I was willing to give CIS permission to carry the file.
On the other thread:
The problem I have with the Walnut Creek CD distribution is not
so much that they're making a profit, but that my copyright notice explictly
states that redistribution may only be done at no charge to the receiver,
except with my permission. I don't see how "No charge to the receiver"
can be interpreted as "cost of distribution", or "cost of distribution,
plus cost for my time and/or profits".
Compuserve, AOL, GEnie, rtfm.mit.edu, uunet, etc. all have my permission
to redistribute as I actively sought to make the FAQ available at
those points. If Walnut Creek had simply asked (or if they ask) my
permission, I would have given it (perhaps in exchange for a copy
of the CD so I can check it out, and to make sure the FAQ is not going
in the same place as a set of XXX-GIFs or something else I might object
to).
-Tom
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