Dan,
That's one of the best descriptions of copyrights and licensing I've seen in a
while. I used to release code under Creative Commons, but I am now recommending
the MIT license to anyone releasing code. It's short, legally sound and widely
accepted. Here's the link.
http://www.opensource.org/licenses/mit-license.php
P.S. Engkee, I've got an updated Reflection component being released under the
MIT license soon. Working on the examples now.
Ben Stucki
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From: "Daniel Freiman" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 06, 2007 3:59 PM
To: flexcoders@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [flexcoders] Intellectual property or licensing of posted/blogged
work
As for copyrights vs. licenses
If you own the code (which if you wrote it you probably do), then you own the
copyright. A license is simply giving someone permission (limited or
otherwise) to use the copyrighted material. If you give the copyright to the
public domain, then no one owns the copyright and thus there is no reason why
someone would have to license the copyrighted material.
As far as practices and standards for people like us, we can talk the issue
into the ground on what we want, but the bottom line is that if there's no
licensing statement with the code, people aren't safe using it (legally
speaking). If you want to be nice, include one. If you're paranoid, email the
author. Lastly, you don't need to be a lawyer to write a license, especially
if it's really simple. For example, if you want to let people use code as they
see fit, simply state in plain English (or any other language for that matter)
something like "You can use this for anything" or "I give this to the public
domain." If you're paranoid you could include, "I am not responsible for any
harm this code does to your computer." Done and done, no lawyer or standard
needed.
Lastly, if you're employed by a company you might not have the right to give
the copyright or licenses because (usually) anything you write on company time
is owned by the company. (Don't ask me to define "on company time.") This is
sometimes also true for freelance work, but not usually.
Personally, I'd say look for the licenses, state what you want your code used
for in layman's terms or use a standard, and email the author if you're
confused.
- Dan
On 2/6/07, Jason Hawryluk <
[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
I willing to do that
creative commons license if it makes people feel more comfortable. I'll have a
look and see what's involved.
I fully understand the
requirement to protect yourself. Very good topic that I have to date just taken
for granted. I just always assumed that if I put it out there it's yours to do
with as you wish.
I'd
hate for people *not* to use this stuff for these kinds of reasons,
it goes against why I write about it in the first place.
Jason -----Message d'origine-----
De :
flexcoders@yahoogroups.com [mailto:
[EMAIL PROTECTED] la part
de engkee
Envoyé : mardi 6 février 2007
21:31
À : flexcoders@yahoogroups.com
Objet :
[flexcoders] Intellectual property or licensing of posted/blogged
work
I have to commend you all for posting a lot of wonderful components
and
extensions to Flex... eg. Ely's calendar, Doug and Jason's tab
navigator
extensions, Ben and Trey's reflection effect, Alex's
distortion effect,
just to name a few.
Unfortunately, in these day and age, I would have
to ask... am I
allowed to incorporate those wonderful works in commercial
products?
Am I even allowed to look at the source code, if I work for a
company
producing commercial software, without violating some IP
issues.
Most of them are not explicitly associated with any specific
licensing terms.
Sure would be nice if there could be some standard
practice of
associating these works with a common license, eg. the
Creative
Commons (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/)
Maybe
there already is some presumed license or disclaimer
for "published"
works. If so, please send a pointer.
Just a
thought.
-Engkee
