On Wed, 28 Nov 2007 23:37:02 -0600, Ed Gould <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>... >Well that is good news. But it is essentially worthless to the masses >(us). I still am vaguely suspicious of the idea that requirements are >the "property" of IBM. I don't remember signing anything (I do mean >*ANYTHING*) when I submitted requirements (personally or as a >requirements co-ordinator of GUIDE). How can IBM claim ownership? >... I was refering to the database of SHARE requirements. As Ed and Walt mentioned, IBM's requirements database (which contains far more than just user group submissions) is defintely not available. >*IF* that is indeed the case (I am not conceding that it is) then I >would think that it would either inhibit submission of requirements >or before any submission to SHARE they should be copyrighted to >protect the submitter. ... Huh? Copyrighted by whom? Once a requirement has been submitted to SHARE it becomes the property of SHARE (to do with as it chooses). Once SHARE submits the requirement to IBM it becomes the property of IBM. Why should it be otherwise? And what is the submitter being protected from? >... Also SHARE should make sure that each person >who submits requirements aware of the issue before submission. >... And how should that be done? SHARE's requirements coordinators can check SHARE's requirements database (as can the original submitter) and not accept the submission if it is a dup, or suggest the req be reworked before being subitted to IBM. Beyond that, what can (or should) be done? > >IMO somebody *ELSE* should make sure that all requirements are made >public so that ownership is kept with the submitter. What might be >practical is that a 3rd party copyright all requirements. >... And what would that ownership achieve? If you are so proud of your requirements, copyright them. But don't submit them through a users group and then claim copyright infringment if something similar gets given to IBM. And don't claim copyright infringment if something similar makes into IBM's database. The bottom line is the a "Requirement" is really just a suggestion or request to IBM. If IBM chooses to implement something, and that something does not address your original need you can complain (for all the good that will do). How does ownership of the original reqest alter that? IBM would be more enclined to implement the req because the text of the request is copyrighted by you? I don't think so. Pat O'Keefe ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
