Who owns FU3 copyright?

[Guest colsie12]

Hi all. I would like to ask if anyone can confirm this. I was looking thorugh the copyright material of the FU3 since it was released by soldout and discovered this MS own all copyrights. They have also said they prohibt anybody from changeing or editing the game. They also don not appreciate add-ons for it to an extent. Is this them trying to get rid of it and convert us to FSX.They do not say they do not want add ons made just that they dis agree with them.

[Guest Seadog]

That would be quite an interesting development in the history of this sim. I'd need to review the entire, exact language to offer a trained opinion on the matter. You could copy and post it, or attach it as a text file if you wanted further comment.-Seadog

[Guest colsie12]

Ok. Here is the exact copy. Sorry I could not make the exact post when I initally made this post but I was in school."The Redistributable Code is the property of Microsoft Corporation and its suppliers and is protectedby copyright law and international treaty provisions. You are authorized to make and use copies of the Redistributable Code either as part of the application inwhich you received the Redistributable Code, or in conjunctionwith the application for which its use is intended. Except asexpressly provided in the foregoing sentence, you are not authorized to reproduce and distribute the Redistributable Code. Microsoft reserves all rights notexpressly granted. You may not reverse engineer, decompile, or disassemble the Redistributable Code, except and only to the extent that such activity is expressly permitted by applicable law notwithstanding this limitation. THE REDISTRIBUTABLE CODEIS PROVIDED TO YOU "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESSOR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED WARRANTIESOF MERCHANTABILITY AND/OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. YOU ASSUME THE ENTIRE RISK AS TO THE ACCURACY AND THE USE OF THE REDISTRIBUTABLE CODE. MICROSOFT SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER ARISING OUT OF THE USE OF OR INABILITY TO USE THE REDISTRIBUTABLECODE, EVEN IF MICROSOFT HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE."Or have I misinterpreted. I believe when it is saying we can not decompile the re distribution code I assume they mean we cant use resviewer.

[Guest cornclose]

This refers to the Microsoft redistributable code, in other words, the Microsoft Visual C Runtime Library (MSVCRT.dll) which I believe FLED (but not FU3 itself) uses, that's all. It's a standard license statement which must be inlcuded with the runtime library in order for it to be freely distributed._______RegardsChris Ehttp://www.circle-software.co.uk/php/html/images/logo.gifVisit http://www.circle-software.co.ukHome of X-Plane Photographic Scenery : England & Wales

[Guest Seadog]

That may well be so, as I have no knowledge about FU3's use of that software. I know beyond doubt that it refers to DirectX included on the installation disk.Nothing that I see in that notice refers to ownership of the copyright regarding the LGS-created elements of FU3 proper, however, so that's one possible oddity put to rest.While it may indeed be "futile to resist," this is not an example of Borg-like hegemony.:-spacecraft You are free to continue to use ResViewer.-Doug

[Guest fu3]

As Chris says, just don't edit MSVCRT.dll and re-release it :-lol :-lolColin, the purpose of this legal mumbo-jumbo is really to say to developers , "don't modify and release your own version of this file". Really, it doesn't say much more than that. Even if you are a licensed developer it would be stupid to use non-standard versions of existing DLLs without renaming them ;)Besides, reverse-engineering is not covered by copyright, only by patents. And don't get me started on the un-patentability of software - or more importantly, the unenforcability of those patents. Microsoft should know - they've paid dearly for stolen code, whilst being seemingly unable to prosecute others whom they believe to have stolen theirs. Besides, if anyone was really concerned about this stuff, it would be Peter James. After all, he went to work for Microsoft, and I couldn't believe for a minute that he didn't use 'prior knowledge' from LGS when he worked on the XBox and MSFS. If Peter is ever brought before a court by EA over this, I'll eat my cap :-rollOh! Who owns FU3 copyright? EA Technologies - unless someone else has bought it since!Regards,Jon Point

[Christopher Low 5,332]

Jon,I think that the reason why a budget release of FU3 took so long to arrive is because ownership of copyright wasn't entirely clear. I assume that Electronic Arts claimed it, but I'm pretty sure that former employees of Looking Glass Studios did the same.Obviously, the problem was resolved, but I'm still not sure who actually owns the copyright.....unless this is stated in the documentation provided with the Sold Out version.