Re: West loses major copyright decision

     My question simply was ignored almost completely during the discussion on the subject. I am re-asking the question in a little different way.

     Say, I purchase a CD-ROM from Hyperlaw, Inc. The CD-ROM has 105,431 court decisions. It comes with a shrinkwrap license which says that I am not allowed to copy substantial part of the CD-ROM at one time. Can the license prevent me from copying all 105,431 noncopyrightable court decisions to a web site and make them available to all people on Internet?

     Pick one or more answers:

1. Yes. Definitely yes. Absolutely.
2. More likely yes.
3. If you are in ______ (fill in) circuit(s), yes.
4. If you are in ______ circuit(s), yes; if you you are in ______ circuit(s), no.
5. If you are in ______ circuit(s), no.
6. More likely no.
7. No. Absolutely not.
8. I don't know.
9. I don't know. Ask me again next year.
10. I don't know. Ask me again _____ years from now.
11. If copy less than ___% of the CD-ROM, no.
12. If copy more than ___% of the CD-ROM, yes.
13. Other: _________
14. Who cares!?
15. To copy or not to copy? That's the question.

    Just my personal thoughts: If the answer is a, b, or c, I find it hard to believe that Hyperlaw is using a double standard. First, it sued West so that they can copy court decisions from West's books. Then, they turn around and prevents the consumers from copying the same court decisions. That kind of action only makes West look a bit less evil and Hyperlaw less virtuous.

Joseph Pietro Riolo
<riolo[_at_]voicenet.com> Received on Thu Jun 05 1997 - 11:22:10 GMT