[Coco] ROM Copyrights... copyrights in general...

[RETRO Innovations]

On 6/8/2017 10:33 AM, Salvador Garcia via Coco wrote:
> I've always "heard" that if you own the original roms, you have the right to make copies for your own personal use... I have no clue if this is true. I know it did apply to making tape and CD copies of albums I own, but ONLY for personal use.
Sorta:

https://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/faq-digital.html

You can make a single archival copy of the ROMs...

But:

If you have a legal copy of software you are allowed to make a single 
archival copy of the software for backup purposes. However, the copy can 
only be used if the original software is destroyed or fails to work. 
When the original is given away, the backup copy must also be given with 
the original or destroyed.

https://wustl.edu/about/compliance-policies/computers-internet-policies/legal-ethical-software-use/

Now, the likelihood that one would check on this limit of use is 
statistically 0, even given Dennis' concerns.  But, even in the spirit 
of the law, you can't use the Coco and the Emulator at the same time, as 
you would then be deriving twice the benefit from the SW than what you 
purchased.

Barry's efforts will depend greatly on whether TANDY negotiated an 
"exclusive" license to the 6809 TANDY BASIC deliverable from MS.  If so, 
then TANDY, or it's receivers, are the only ones who can grant the 
license to use the SW.  Thankfully, MS was very shrewd, so I would 
theorize that they only gave TANDY a non-exclusive right to use the BASIC.

Jim