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Re: About first sale doctrine
From: |
Alexander Terekhov |
Subject: |
Re: About first sale doctrine |
Date: |
Thu, 24 Jul 2008 20:24:31 +0200 |
Hyman Rosen wrote:
[...]
> GPL. A court isn't going to let you make copies and use
> first sale to sell them any more than it would let you
> sell videotapes that you've recorded of over-the-air
> broadcasts.
You confuse online distribution of unlimited number of copies (free
software available for unrestricted downloading without any "I agree"
manifestation of assent by downloader) with watching or hearing
someone's performance (with the only excuse for transfer under 17 USC
109 being "fair use").
http://www.nysd.uscourts.gov/courtweb/pdf/D02NYSC/01-07482.PDF
-----
unlike the user of Netscape Navigator or other click-wrap or shrink-
wrap licensees, the individual obtaining SmartDownload is not made
aware that he is entering into a contract. SmartDownload is available
from Netscape's web site free of charge. Before downloading the
software, the user need not view any license agreement terms or even
any reference to a license agreement, and need not do anything to
manifest assent to such a license agreement other than actually
taking possession of the product. From the user's vantage point,
SmartDownload could be analogized to a free neighborhood newspaper,
readily obtained from a sidewalk box or supermarket counter without
any exchange with a seller or vender. It is there for the taking.
-----
< quotes from dmca/sec-104-report-vol-<2|3>.pdf >
Time Warner, Inc.:
We note that the initial downloading of a copy, from an
authorized source to a purchaser's computer, can result in
lawful ownership of a copy stored in a tangible medium.
[but electronic redistribution/move-and-delete of that copy to
downstream recipient is not covered by first sale]
Library Associations:
First, as conceded by Time Warner, digital transmissions can
result in the fixation of a tangible copy. By intentionally
engaging in digital transmissions with the awareness that a
tangible copy is made on the recipient's computer, copyright
owners are indeed transferring ownership of a copy of the work
to lawful recipients. Second, the position advanced by Time
Warner and the Copyright Industry Organizations is premised
on a formalistic reading of a particular codification of the
first sale doctrine. When technological change renders the
literal meaning of a statutory provision ambiguous, that
provision "must be construed in light of its basic purpose"
and "should not be so narrowly construed as to permit evasion
because of changing habits due to new inventions and
discoveries." Twentieth Century Music Corp. v. Aiken, 422 U.S.
151, 156-158 (1975). The basic purpose of the first sale
doctrine is to facilitate the continued flow of property
throughout society.
The entire Reply by Library Associations is available at:
http://www.copyright.gov/reports/studies/dmca/reply/Reply008.pdf
Isaac got it:
-----
Further, my understanding is that Alexander was proposing lawfully
acquiring and distributing copies and not making new copies. If the law
requires that a backup or adapted copy be distributed with the
originals, Alexander would do that and then acquire, at no expense, a
new copy. Rinse lather repeat.
You ask how a copy would be acquired without accepting the GPL.
I'm not aware of an expectation or requirement to accept the GPL before
downloading the software. Free software is often made available for
downloading without any notice obtained before, during or after the
download that the copies obtained must be deleted if the GPL is not
accepted.
Anyone can obtain GPLd software, and provided only that they include
source code, operate a free or paid distribution ftp site in which they
allow GPLd software to be downloaded without restriction.
Isaac
----
regards,
alexander.
--
http://gng.z505.com/index.htm
(GNG is a derecursive recursive derecursion which pwns GNU since it can
be infinitely looped as GNGNGNGNG...NGNGNG... and can be said backwards
too, whereas GNU cannot.)
Re: About first sale doctrine, Tim Smith, 2008/07/24