Re: Writing new PBeM software and need a programmer

From: "Juggernaut Press" <juggernaut@tightbeam.com>

Date: Tue, 25 Nov 1997 00:00:00 +0000

Gary Baines <g.baines@nospam.com> wrote in article
<347A93F3.7E9E@nospam.com>...

> Wasn't there some case in the 80's where KJC sued a fellow PBM company
> for creating a game too similar to Earthwood?  I forget the details, but
> surely to take such an action the rules have to have been copywritable?

I don't remember the case, but unless the owner of Earthwood (Game Systems,
Inc., a U.S. company) sponsored the litigation in some way, I'm not sure
how KJC, a licensee with no ownership interest in the game, could sue for
copyright infringement. Then again, I'm not an expert in copyright...

Just because a company initiates litigation over copyright doesn't mean
that they have a legitimate claim, or even that they truly believe they
have a legitimate claim.  The court will decide it. And, of course, it will
cost the defendant money for the court to decide in the defendant's favor
-- money that a small play-by-mail company might not have, but that a large
play-by-mail company (like KJC) would probably have in its figurative
pants' pocket.

Not that KJC took this route... for all I know, the other game could very
well have been a rip-off of Earthwood and thus deserving of a lawsuit...

Bob McLain

References

Re: Writing new PBeM software and need a programmer
silver@phoenyx.net (Karen J. Cravens)
Sun, 16 Nov 1997 00:00:00 +0000
Re: Writing new PBeM software and need a programmer
lindahl@pbm.com (Greg Lindahl)
Mon, 24 Nov 1997 00:00:00 +0000
Re: Writing new PBeM software and need a programmer
silver@phoenyx.net (Karen J. Cravens)
Mon, 24 Nov 1997 00:00:00 +0000
Re: Writing new PBeM software and need a programmer
Gary Baines <g.baines@nospam.com>
Tue, 25 Nov 1997 00:00:00 +0000