driver copyrights

[cypher1919]

I am currently on a project of making a compilation of drivers on a cd to sell on our website. Are there any copyright issues I may have to deal with first, or is like a public domain kinda thing?

[TheJackal]

I would think that just like any piece of software there is a copyright protecting drivers. It would probably be a wise idea to contact the companies whose drivers you intend to sell, and get permission to use them.

[Panama Red]

If others are giving them away like driverguide.com and driverhq.com, I doubt that copywriting is a problem. But then again if they are available for free, why would anyone pay for them?

[TheJackal]

But wouldn't giving them away be different then selling them in the eyes of the companies that created them. I would think that if you wanted to distribute them on your site for free, you wouldn't have a problem, but seeing as how you want to sell them, you might run into some trouble.

I too have to ask, who would buy something they can get for free?

[bailey]

most drivers and updates are free, you would have a hard time trying to sell them.

[cypher1919]

Its not really the drivers that we were going to put up for sale just the cd database... we were just going to charge enough to get our money back for the production of the database...It would be kinda like a tool cd, with not only drivers, but other helpful software. The reason being is this.. I am personally having to sort through a ton of cd's all the time when i work on someones computer, being I need drivers, utilities, or whatever, This way I can burn all this crap on a few DVD/RWs
and bam... Save me some time and headache..And I know if I have to do it there are others that share my predicament.

[TheJackal]

Well, If you intend to sell other utilities that you do not hold the copyright to, you have to contact the maker of that utility, who may, or may not let you put their utility on your cd and sell it.