Re:The Windows 3.x Showcase
by beefhash on Thursday February 11, 2016 @05:09AM
(#11079280)
Isn't this risky with regards to copyright laws? This seems to download some of the software (including Win 3.x itslef).
[ Parent
| on HN ]
I believe there are exemptions for the preservation of copyrighted works. Please don't consider this authoritative or even applicable here, but, as an example: https://www.copyright.com/Services/copyrightoncampus/basics/...
> To qualify for the exception, your library or archive must: [...]
> Produce no more than a single reproduction of a given work.
Copyright law would consider the Internet Archive to be reproducing the software every time someone clicks the link and their browser downloads it, so this wouldn't apply.
It also depends on the violated party still existing and caring enough to pursue a lawsuit. Many of the entities that own these copyrights don't exist anymore. And I don't think a Windows 3.1 demo on the web is potentially damaging enough to Microsoft's profits to make it worthwhile for them to sue the Internet Archive.