PUBLIC DOMAIN? An article in your November 1988 issue, "BASIC Bits", appears to identify my program XMDPW5.BA as public domain software. It has not been released as public domain, nor is it likely to be. Let me explain why. Mr. Quindry correctly describes XMDPW5, and identifies its original source (XMD100 by J.R. Chenoweth). Mr. Chenoweth uploaded XMD100 to the Compuserve Model 100 Forum, and identified it as copyrighted. My contribution has been to package it as a relocatable loader and, through a series of six XMDPWn versions, remove a few minor bugs, enhance some user interfaces and add some new features -- and then to provide user support in the Model 100 Forum. I created my initial source code by disassembling XMD100, and I have added to it by my own devices and by drawing from other code developed by Model 100 Forum members. However, my source code continues to carry Mr. Chenoweth's original copyright notice. While I, personally, would be perfectly happy to see the XMDPWn series released to the public domain, I believe J.R. Chenoweth's copyright to still be in force. My attempts to contact him, by Compuserve Easyplex and by phone, have been unsuccessful. But his silence cannot be interpreted as assent to public domain release; I believe his rights must be respected. I generally applaud Mr. Quindry's efforts in distributing software, so long as that software is in the public domain; but XMDPW5.BA is not public domain. And there is a broader issue. The best place to get that, and any of my other programs, is in the Model 100 Forum. That is where I provide updates and support. For example, there you will find: XMDPW6, which supports download to Gold Card and other bus-connected devices; an October 1988 update to XMDPW5; autodial/redial programs to support these comm programs; and Tandy 200 versions of each of the above. While this is not a Compuserve project per se, J.R. Chenoweth's program has been enhanced by myself and other members along the lines he suggested, and beyond -- with the Model 100 Forum as the mechanism of focusing these individual efforts. The Forum provides a "memory", permitting continued software development and support even though an individual programmer (like Mr. Chenoweth or myself) may leave the Model 100/102/200 ranks. This contribution cannot be matched by any other distribution approach, however laudable in intent. Phil Wheeler Torrance, CA.