[MPlayer-dev-eng] KiSS of copyright

[Camillo Lugaresi]

At 11:23 +0100 26-03-2004, Christof Buergi wrote:
>Easy: http://www.admin.ch/ch/d/sr/231_1/a19.html
>
>The important parts are number 1 and 4:
>
>1. Published works may be used for oneself. Use for oneself is:
>  a) any use in the private area, including persons like close friends
>     or relatives;
>  b) any use from a teacher for educational purposes;
>  c) duplication of exemplars ... for internal information and
>     documentation.
>
>4. This paragraph does not apply to computer programs.
>
>This means, that you have no right to use software unless you have an
>explicit acceptance from the copyright holder.

All I see is that the Swiss law explicitly allows personal use of 
published works, except that this clause does not cover software. The 
question is: if the law does not explicitly allow something, is it 
forbidden? I'd say it's the other way around: unless the law 
explicitly forbids it, it's allowed.

That laws only says "This paragraph does not apply to computer 
programs." It does not say "The opposite applies to computer 
programs." In other words, it doesn't say anything at all about 
personal use of computer programs. Is there some other law that does?

Camillo