RE: A86: ROM Images (legal battle thread)

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RE: A86: ROM Images (legal battle thread)


At 06:09 AM 11/17/98 +0100, you wrote:
>You want to "research" the TI ROM so you can do what?  Hack assembly code?
>That doesn't sound like a legal reason to me.  Just wait until TI releases
>the assembly information.  However, since you own a TI-82, you are out of
>luck since it doesn't support assembly.

Ummm...He who is the archiver at ticalc.org doesn't know that the 82 has
assembly capabilities?  He who personally put CrASH, ASH, JASS, and
OShell-82 shells for the TI-82 says it no longer exists.  This sounds like
hypocrisy to me.  Besides, how did we get an 82 shell in the first place?
Someone had to use the TI ROM for research purposes.  So, Bryan Rabeler, if
TI doesn't allow their ROM to be used for research purposes, you had better
remove every last assembly shell, game, and program from the 82 directories
or you are in serious legal trouble.  However, TI can't and won't prosecute
since "programming research" is legal under the copyright law.

>Plus, who are you to say what purposes TI ROMs are used for?  I think only
>TI can say that.  If TI doesn't want their ROMs to be used for
>"programming research", then you can't do it legally.  I could say I
>wanted to use a video game ROM to research 3D gaming or something, but
>that's still not legal.

Yes, I can do it (programming research) legally.  TI has no authority over
national copyright law.  They can say that they don't want their ROMs used
for "programming research" but it will mean nothing since they are NOT
above national law.

>I challenge you to e-mail ti-cares@ti.com and ask them yourself.

If they care so much, then they will come to me.  I won't go grovelling on
my e-mail knees to them.  Besides, this thread's entire purpose is to come
up with a legal defense AGAINST TI.  Why give them more time to think this
whole thing through by sending them e-mail about it?  I say we all
collaborate and come up with a legal defense of this position that I have
proposed.  If TI objects, then we fight back with our document (that needs
to be developed) if it comes down to a court battle.  If we don't prepare
in advance, TI will come after us anyway down the road for some reason or
other.  We must be ready.

Paranoid I am not.  Cautious I am.  TI is just waiting for ticalc,
ti-files, or dimension-ti to mess up.  The second that such an error is
made, TI will begin the legal process.  TI would love to shut down every
last major site and if we can defend our position and win, TI will leave us
alone, forever.

THE TIME IS NOW:  Either someone prove me utterly and absolutely wrong, OR
let us settle this legal battle thread immediately and prepare to defend
ourselves against TI's attack.


                 Thomas J. Hruska -- thruska@tir.com
Shining Light Productions -- "Meeting the needs of fellow programmers"
         http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Heights/8504
                    http://shinelight.home.ml.org
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