[Coco] Rainbow, and Hot Coco Scans

[Frank Swygert]

I doubt anyone really wishes you any ill will Michael. Once a product is available I think you'll find a lot of people buying the DVD anyway, as it takes a LOT of time to scan in even one magazine. The frustration is that the project seems to have stalled and may not come out at all. 

Just send a letter with return receipt request (or a registered letter) to Lonnie's widow (or estate if you know who's handling it) stating that you intend to proceed with the contract as agreed between Lonnie and yourself. If no answer continue. If someone complains, you owe the estate whatever the agreed amount was. IIRC it was just a token sum per copy. If you feel like it send the estate checks for the agreed amount as you sell them. I'd just make sure to keep track of sales and can pay the amount if demanded/asked later if no response. I don't think you'll get a response. But then you might get something from a lawyer similar to the Hot CoCo response -- we don't want to mess with it so don't do it! you might just want to go ahead with the project and keep track of what you owe in case someone says something later -- that's exactly what I'd do. You know you've made an effort to contact them and no one seems to care.  

I'd talked to Lonnie directly right before Rainbow ceased publishing. His interest was not in the CoCo community, it was in his "baby" -- Rainbow magazine. Nothing you're doing is a discredit to it or to Lonnie's memory. If anything it's the opposite -- a show of respect that anyone would care after so many years, and a memorial that will carry on for many more years than the printed magazines would last. 

as far as Hot CoCo, I think Diego hit the right idea! Sure it's technically illegal, and immoral to a degree -- so is speeding and many other things we all do daily in that respect. The fact is that copying an old magazine to archive for historic purposes isn't hurting anyone. If it were genuinely hurting IDG's sales, or there was more than a very remote chance they could be sued (they can't if the copys are illegal!) I'd definitely be against it. But the only ones getting hurt are the very few who still have an interest in the CoCo.

Yes, I put my actions where my mouth is -- everything I wrote and published for the CoCo (that I had/have electronic copies of) is available for download at the list site. I still retain the copyrights, but give free personal use of the material to anyone who wants to download and print for personal use, just not to be sold or altered without permission. 

-- 
Frank Swygert
Publisher, "American Motors Cars" 
Magazine (AMC)
For all AMC enthusiasts
http://farna.home.att.net/AMC.html
(free download available!)