Re: Copying Zoomer apps to PC

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From: brian@piano.grot.starconn.com (Brian Smithson)
Message-id: <9311300806.ZM26469@piano.grot.starconn.com>
Date: Tue, 30 Nov 1993 08:06:38 -0800
In-Reply-To: starnet!apple!aol.com!palmtech
        "Copying Zoomer apps to PC" (Nov 30, 12:15am)
References: <9311300152.tn124864@aol.com>
X-Mailer: Z-Mail (2.1.1 01dec92)
To: <zoomer-list-1993@grot.starconn.com>
Subject: Re: Copying Zoomer apps to PC
Status: OR

On Nov 30, 12:15am, starnet!apple!aol.com!palmtech wrote:
> Subject: Copying Zoomer apps to PC
> It's good to see everyone experimenting with the Zoomer and PalmConnect,
> pushing the boundaries of understanding to new limits,

Ahem ... <incensed mode on> my purpose of "experimenting" isn't merely
to push boundaries of understanding.  It's an attempt to fulfill, for
myself, a vision of what PenGEOS could be. <incensed mode off>

The main reason I bought a Zoomer instead of some other PDA is that
I figured it would provide a useful and interchangeable environment
among desktop, laptop, and palmtop platforms.  What was delivered,
at least in revision 1, was three seperate environments: GWE2.0 for
desktops and laptops, Zoomer for palmtops, and PalmConnect for connectivity.
I was disappointed with the lack of common applications between GWE2.0
and the Zoomer, with the lack of integration of PalmConnect with GWE2.0,
and with the lack of a PenGEOS release for non-Zoomer platforms.
So I did it myself :-).
 
> BUT...It's a violation
> of the Zoomer license to copy the Zoomer applications software over to the PC
> to run thereupon.

Is this Casio's official legal position, or a layman's interpretation? 
The Casio license is worded very broadly: "You may not copy, reverse engineer,
decompile, disassemble, or create derivative works from the software".
A very conservative interpretation of this statement would not allow
me to create a backup of the software ("copy") nor write applications which
use GEOS ("create derivative works").  I doubt that that is what Casio had
in mind.

I believe that the intended spirit of the agreement is that I am not
allowed to make copies for multiple simultaneous use by myself or others,
nor to use some or all of the software to create unlicensed derivative
products.

I see nothing wrong with personal, non-simultaneous use of all or part
of the software on another platform, be it a laptop, desktop, or emulator.
I think that if you look into how software licenses hold up in court,
no matter how they are written, they come down to this: if you bought it,
you can use it however you want as long as your use doesn't deprive the
authors of revenue from their work.


I think that GeoWorks and Palm should encourage, not discourage, novel uses
of their products.  Instead of dismissing it as hacking and experimentation,
why not use it as customer feedback?

-- 
-Brian Smithson
 brian@grot.starconn.com