RE: Who owns the database - client or software vendor?

Colin,

The vendor has a copyright on the Database Structure.  In most cases the
client owns the data, but the vendor owns the structure.

All the other issues are "negotiable".  And should be found in your license
agreement.  But, if the system is provided without source code, you probably
do not have any "right" to directly manipulate the database.

That said, the database probably consists of AS/400 externally defined
files.  And you can get their layout by using DSPFFD.

It also depends on the type of application.  Vertical LOB apps tend to ship
with source code & have customer interfaces & customizations (Eg: AR/AP, GL,
Payroll, etc).  Horizontal apps do NOT tend to ship with source code (Fax
systems, DB utilities like DBU & PFE).

But, regardless, if you have a maintenance contract with the vendor, you
should be able to get the information you want.  They might not like it, but
the should tell you.  I know Cornerstone would give the info to you.

But, if you do NOT have a contract, then you are probably SOL.

And yes, I am a software vendor.

Regards,
Bob Crothers
Cornerstone Communications

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-midrange-l@midrange.com [mailto:owner-midrange-l@midrange.com]On
Behalf Of Colin Williams
Sent: Tuesday, April 04, 2000 9:44 AM
To: 'MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com'
Subject: Who owns the database - client or software vendor?

If a software vendor supplies a system to a client, who owns the
database, the client or the vendor?

And if the client has rights to the data, does he not also have rights
to acces that data using tools that are independent of the vendor?

Does this also mean he has rights to the layout of those files in the
database, so that he can actually use the tools on the data?

Without the layout, the database is nothing right?
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