[Freeciv-Dev] re: copyrights etc.

[schaefer@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Peter Schaefer)]

>I'm no expert in legal issues and they're probably off-topic for this list.
>I do have a personal opinion - call it my conscience if you wish:
>Freeciv is greatly indebted to Microprose and, for that reason alone,
>should try not to interfere with their commercial interests.

This is not really a hot topic. Here is a list of reasons why:

The game design derives from Empire, Avalon Hill Civilization,
and maybe some other sources.

The team that designed and made Civilization has left MPS for
own projects.

The trademark "Civilization" has been lost to Activision, with
(as I understood it) one more chance for Microprose to use it
(for purposes of image transfer to a new product line name).


As freeciv is named freeciv, not "Civilization" we do not  
infringe on trademarks.

There is no big tradition in suing for game rules;
They would have to prove we did cuase financial loss, too.
As new versions of Civilization will have new rules, too,
this is scarcely an issue.

Not that there is not a risk here, you can patent really
boring and everyday stuff. 
(Which is offtopic.)

--
Peter Schaefer           mailto:schaefer@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx     
X-Url: http://wwwhoppe.math.uni-augsburg.de/~schaefer/
coz' hackers LOVE irix