Is making apple //e clones today legal because the copyright of the original apple //e motherboard was 1984?
btw im just cloning the motherboard.
Is making apple //e clones today legal because the copyright of the original apple //e motherboard was 1984?
btw im just cloning the motherboard.
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A copyright is in effect for [author's lifetime] +50 years. Woz is still kicking around, so (presuming the copyright is in his name) it'll be at least 2059 before the copyright expires.
If there is more than one author, the copyright is in effect for [lifetime of the last living author] +50 years. Compositions of The Beatles, for example, are protected under copyright for [Paul's lifetime] +50, while John's solo compositions will expire in 2030 ([John's lifetime] +50). George only wrote alone, so his copyrights will expire in 2051 ([George's lifetime] +50).
If the Apple IIe copyright is in the name of Apple Computer (more likely), it's harder to calculate. If Apple were to close up shop, the copyright would expire 50 years later. If Apple is bought or merged, the copyright would transfer to the new corporate entity.
Media companies like Sony, Warner, EMI have been fighting to extend copyrights to life +70 years. This would ensure that big-money artist catalogues like Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Billie Holiday, Judy Garland, and the like would effectively never expire (in a few years they'll fight for life +100 years, and so on).
Thank you very much for the copyright Info.
A clone of the hardware shouldn't be a problem as there were legal clones out while the IIe was in production. Laser computer is the best example but Franklin also made some legal clones. The big problem is the ROMs. You could possibly buy them from Vtech the company that made the Laser computer. They're still in business though they may not consider it worth the trouble
Realistically, the market for a IIe clone is so small that Apple wouldn't likely bother you. Alternatively, you could just use ROMs pulled from IIEs or have buyers supply their own.
Of course, you could be making Apple clones all day in your basement and no one would be the wiser.
Would there be that much difference between a clone and a replica? Apple 1 replica's have already been broached, why not an Apple II replica? As pointed out, you would still be using the Apple II ROM's, but that should not deter anyone from making thier own hardware, should it?
Just a thought.....
Whats the differce beetween a replica and a clone?
My objective is to do what all yall (applefritter) did with the apple I repicla but instead make the II.
Kevin,
Is the idea to make a replica, or use the II / II+ / IIe series computers as a starting point and make improvements (miriade thoughts on components here)?
If it is to make a replica, then the only reason I can see you building one would be for personal experience and satisfaction in the build. There are too many II's out there for sale to even consider a replica right now. If the idea is to take the II series and improve on it, like the IIx project (just before the IIgs), then it would be a considerable undertaking and I think a lot of folks, myself included, would be all for it. Hell; what am I taliking about? I'm all for a replica anyway. lol
I think that many have already "tweaked" or
hacked the II series and made it do things
that the original builders hadn't thought of.
The architecture of the system is such that it
is fairly easy to do this. I believe that was
the thought of the original builders.