Date   : Tue, 05 Mar 1996 11:29:00 GMT
From   : pmorrisb@... (Phil Morris)
Subject: Re: BBC: Radical rethinks! :-)

In-Reply-To: <313C10D5@...@art.acorn.co.uk>
> > Well, your web page spoils the suspense!  :-)   By the way, your page 
> > says
> > that it is illegal to use copies of the Acorn ROMs.  This is only 
> > true if
> > you don't own a BBC, right?
> 
> Sorry, but it is illegal to use the ROMs on anything but Acorn/BBC 
> _hardware_
> This does indeed make _any_ use of the ROMs for an emulator illegal...

William - are you then saying that the current crop of emulators are 
illegal if they use copies of the ROMs?

Of course, they don't need to use the ROMs, but then they wouldn't work. 
:)

What is Acorn's official stance on the emulators currently being written? 
Are they going to effectively
turn a blind eye as long as the ROM images aren't being openly 
distributed, or are they eventually going to get bloody minded and stamp 
on the distribution of ALL Beeb emulators?

If the latter then I'm sure other readers of this group will be rather 
unhappy, to say the least. 

> People: PLEASE respect our copyright! Doing things like this is _not_
> furthering the cause to get the ROMs released!

What is the current situation here? Are any discussions taking place?

I'm sure a lot of people DO respect your copyright, but equally don't 
Acorn realise that these emulators exist
because of a love of the Beeb? - they're not trying to rip off Acorn 
(those writing the emulators certainly aren't making any money out of it, 
and those using the emulators are simply doing it for the fun of having a 
Beeb on their PC/Mac/NeXt machines and indulging in a little nostalgia). 
Surely Acorn can understand this and release the ROMs into the Public 
Domain?



Phil