Subject: Re: trees
From: "Kevin Bjorke" <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Date: Tue, 6 Sep 1994 12:33:06 -0700

On Sep 6, 13:30, John Foust - Syndesis Corporation wrote:
> Subject: Re: trees
> To: lightwave
>
> The Yost Group's "Silicon Garden" manual includes the following
> request:  "However, the plant models and structures that you've
> created with Silicon Garden's L-System algorithms in 3D format (i.e.,
> 3DS, PRJ, DXF or any other 3D face/vertex list) are copyrighted
> objects due to their algorithmic structure.  You may not re-sell
> these models in any format for use with any 3D modeling or rendering
> system."
>-- End of excerpt from John Foust - Syndesis Corporation

Case like this have come up from time to time. The simple fact is, if you use
the tool to make data, you own that data. Don't be snowed by their B.S.  This
is somewhat analogous to Nikon claiming that they hold a copyright on all
photos made with Nikon cameras, or Microsoft declaring itself the owners of
anything written with MS-Word. There is no legal precedent nor basis for such
ownership by the Yost Group or Autodesk. If this language is included in the
Appropriate-Use contract, it would void the contract on the basis of its own
illegality and unenforceability. No, this is just the lamebrained spew from
some overzealous marketroid. Your data is your data. My data is my data. The
author protection granted to Yost ends at the program wrapper, because they
copyrighted the program, not the result. If the program ran completely
autonomously (you had no inputs at all) they might begin to make a (flawed
anyway) case, but that should have been specified in the original copyright
documents. Fat chance.

-- 
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  Kevin Bjorke         |  If you draw a picture, and then draw more and
  Animation Scientist  |  more pictures, and put them on TV, then dino-
  Hi Tech Toons        |  saurs will turn into birds! - Rebecca