>>>>The fact of the closure of a firm does not mean the copyright
expires or that another firm might not already or in the future
obtain and enforce copyright. xxxxxx@LUC.EDU.<<<<

>>> "Herbert B. Chermside" <xxxxxx@VCU.EDU>  10/2/97, 03:59am >>>
The mere inaccessability of a copyright holder does not relieve you
of the
duty to obtain a license prior to taking any of the action reserved
to the
copyright holder.  Any unlicensed copying makes one liable to
injunction or
suit for damages if the copyright holder discovers the infringement
and
seeks redress.

Your intended use appears to reach beyond the Fair Use doctrine.

Chuck

at 11:39 AM 10/1/97 -0400, you wrote:
>Does anyone know the answer to the following:
>
>If a software company has gone out of business and one can no longer
>purchase the software they made, is it OK to make copies of the
software
>and provide it to, for example, a group of students in a class?
>
>I'd appreciate any feedback on this.
>
>LRL
>
>Liane Reif-Lehrer, PhD
>PO Box 645
>Belmont, MA  02178
>Tel: 617-863-1117;  Fax:  617-674-0436
>
Herbert B. Chermside, CRA
Director, Office of Sponsored Programs
Virginia Commonwealth University
PO BOX 980568
Richmond, VA  23298-0568
Express Delivery:
  Sanger Hall, Rm. 1-073
  11th & Marshall Sts.
  Richmond, VA  23219
Phone:    804-828-6772
Fax       804-828-2521
OFFICE e-mail      xxxxxx@vcu.edu
PERSONAL e-mail   xxxxxx@vcu.edu