Re: Switching alarm system - can I convert my database?

["Robert L Bass" <RobertLBass@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

> There is an export function for cardholders only,
> but we have lots of other data (alarm point
> descriptions etc. - thousands of them) that could be moved over.
>
> Doing the conversion is not the problem.  I'm
> wondering if it can be done in a way to avoid
> infringing the EULA - which seems to preclude this type of data mining.

Regardless what they wrote in the EULA, if the
data is information you supplied, such as keyholder
names, schedules, access privileges, that data
belongs to you.  The people who wrote the software
cannot claim title to it nor can they do anything to
prevent you from "mining" it back from the database.

The copyright associated with a software product is
there to protect the author against unauthorised use
of his product.  It doesn not grant him title to your
information, regardless how his product encodes
and stores it.

This is analogous to buying a file cabinet.  The
designer of the cabinet has the right not to have
you copy his design and market it.  But the files
in it belong to you.  Going one step further, if you're
old enough to recall Cardex file systems, you'll
remember the ingenious method used to select
and sort cards using metal rods.  The design was
created in the 50's and remained in use into the
early 70's.  You could not copy the design or even
make your own cards (though presumably lots of
people did).  The cards and the rod sorting system
were patented.  But the data on the cards was not
the property of Cardex.  That belonged to whoever
typed it onto each card.  Modern databases are
far more sophisticated than Cardex.  But the legal
principles concerning them and the data they hold
have not changed much in the last 50 years.

--

Regards,
Robert L Bass

=============================>
Bass Home Electronics
941-925-8650
4883 Fallcrest Circle
Sarasota · Florida · 34233
http://www.bassburglaralarms.com
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