A case of copyrights, CSALIB and CONTU
Janet Osen · Computer Fraud & Security · 1996
In May of 1980, Jonathan Bonelli, president and CEO of Island Recreational, hired Clifford Aymes as a computer programmer. Island was in the swimming pool business, operating a chain of retail stores in the New York area; Aymes was a bright, young graduate student at Cornell University's School of Engineering. Between 1980 and 1982, under the direction of Bonelli, Aymes developed a series of programs called “CSALIB”. The program was used by Island to maintain records of cash receipts, inventory, sales figures, price changes, etc. Aymes did most of the programming at Island's office. He worked alone and enjoyed considerable autonomy in developing CSALIB. The working relationship was informal: there were no written agreements between Bonneli and Aymes assigning ownership or copyright of CSALIB.