Commodore Shares...

From: starling_at_umr.edu <(starling_at_umr.edu)>
Date: Fri Jul 18 10:09:19 1997

> My idea would be to acquire the rights to the source code for the ROMs,
> schematics for their machines, IC masks for any custom chips, PC board
> artwork, engineering diagrams, manuals, and service/technical information.
> That's it. I don't want any inventory (which by now, I'm sure, has been
> dumped) or tooling. I'm up in the air about trademarks, though (I know that
> "Commodore" is gone, but the others like VIC, C-64, and PET may still be
> available).

Would this be for proffit or non-proffit purposes?

I could see purchasing the rights to the C=64 and setting them free as
public domain. Perhaps raise the money to do it by selling "shares" of
ownership in the rights to C= enthusiasts. That way, emulators can use
original C= ROM code without copyright infringement, and "Build Your Own
Commie 64" kits could be a possibility. Since the rights would be
purchased by the computing community, they'd belong to the computing
community.

I don't see much of a point to owning the rights to such things in a
for-proffit mode. Except maybe just bragging rights...


"Hey, baby... I own the exclusive rights to manufacture the Commodore
 Plus 4. Want to go back to my place for a drink?"

"Get away from me you creep! My man owns the rights to the Commodore 16!"


 - starling
Received on Fri Jul 18 1997 - 10:09:19 BST