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Java Forum / General / May 2006How to release a free source code?
Hi All, I want to release some free source code, but not all code is done by me. (ex: I use some code from others into my project... ) I think it is too complicate to check every function/routine belongs to whom, what should I do to avoid the copyright problem? Thank you very much. Best regards, Boki. bokit...@ms21.hinet.net wrote: > Hi All, > [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > I think it is too complicate to check every function/routine belongs to > whom, what should I do to avoid the copyright problem? Checking with every author is exactly what has to be done. The only other option is to publish only what you wrote, with instructions for getting the other files and patching it all together. (diff files tend to be what you use for this kind of thing.) I know it sounds like a lot of work, but that's one of the burdens of sharing code. > bokit...@ms21.hinet.net wrote: > > Hi All, [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > I know it sounds like a lot of work, but that's one of the burdens of > sharing code. Note that, if that is too troublesome, you really ought to have been keeping track of such things from the very start. If you're going to use other people's code in a project you plan to release publicly, you should expect to do such accounting; at a minimum, the original authors deserve credit, even if they "released" their source to the "public domain".  SignatureMicah J. Cowan Programmer, musician, typesetting enthusiast, gamer... http://micah.cowan.name/ > I think it is too complicate to check every function/routine belongs to > whom, what should I do to avoid the copyright problem? You have to contact each and every author, and get permission to release his or her copyrighted work under the desired license. Unless, the author has already released it under that license. There is no exception. If you can't reach one single author out of all of them, or if one single author doesn't give you permission, you can't release his or her source code. End of discussion. Next time you probably think first before you build an application by copy and past from a bunch of sources without keeping track of them and their licenses. If you're using "free" or opensource software you've found elsewhere, you will probably find that the code is available unde a GNU or similar license. These make provision for derivative works and enable you to publish your bit as long as you acknowledge the original authors and include all of their copyright requirements, logos and texts in your own distribution. SignatureBob Powell [MVP] Visual C#, System.Drawing Ramuseco Limited .NET consulting http://www.ramuseco.com Find great Windows Forms articles in Windows Forms Tips and Tricks http://www.bobpowell.net/tipstricks.htm Answer those GDI+ questions with the GDI+ FAQ http://www.bobpowell.net/faqmain.htm All new articles provide code in C# and VB.NET. Subscribe to the RSS feeds provided and never miss a new article. > Hi All, > [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > Best regards, > Boki. How many do you think you have? I can't imagine that there is so many that it is unmanageable. Bet when you sit down and get started you will find it is not as bad as you think. > I want to release some free source code, but not all code is done by > me. (ex: I use some code from others into my project... ) > > I think it is too complicate to check every function/routine belongs to > whom, what should I do to avoid the copyright problem? Depends on the rights they have retained in the software. Go look at SourceForge. >Reply to article by: bokiteam@ms21.hinet.net >Date written: 13 Apr 2006 18:50:41 -0700 >MsgID:<1144979441.249207.161060@t31g2000cwb.googlegroups.com> >Hi All, >I want to release some free source code, but not all code is done by >me. (ex: I use some code from others into my project... ) >I think it is too complicate to check every function/routine belongs to >whom, what should I do to avoid the copyright problem? Hire the most expensive copyright lawyer you can find to defend you in court. The Sage ============================================================= http://members.cox.net/the.sage/index.htm "Little minds are interested in the extraordinary; great minds in the commonplace" -- Elbert Hubbard, ROYCROFT DICTIONARY AND BOOK OF EPIGRAMS ============================================================= > >Reply to article by: bokiteam@ms21.hinet.net > >Date written: 13 Apr 2006 18:50:41 -0700 [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > >I want to release some free source code, but not all code is done by > >me. (ex: I use some code from others into my project... ) Then you do not have the right to release the source. (Unless, of course, that other code was written under contract such that you _do_ own it.) > >I think it is too complicate to check every function/routine belongs to > >whom, what should I do to avoid the copyright problem? You should contact every single copyright holder involved with the code, and get a signed blanket permission. At the least, do something like Elliote Rusty Harold recently did with Jaxen when he relicensed it, where very copyright holder had to publicly affirm that they approved the license change. > Hire the most expensive copyright lawyer you can find to defend you in court. You may need this anyway, but having those statements will help. Remember, if one of the contributors wrote some of that code on a university machine, or while at work, they may not be _able_ to sign over permission. Thus, even with written permission, you may end up on the wrong end of a suit. You have to set these things up before you start, if you do not want headaches later. Given that you did not, you have a headache ahead, and thus the best plan is trying to minimize it. Start with getting permission, and see if something worse happens. Scott SignatureScott Ellsworth scott@alodar.nospam.com Java and database consulting for the life sciences >Reply to article by: Scott Ellsworth <scott@alodar.com> >Date written: Mon, 17 Apr 2006 14:38:52 -0700 >MsgID:<scott-B2CBE8.14385217042006@news.west.cox.net> >> >I want to release some free source code, but not all code is done by >> >me. (ex: I use some code from others into my project... ) >Then you do not have the right to release the source. (Unless, of >course, that other code was written under contract such that you _do_ >own it.) >> >I think it is too complicate to check every function/routine belongs to >> >whom, what should I do to avoid the copyright problem? >You should contact every single copyright holder involved with the code, >and get a signed blanket permission. At the least, do something like >Elliote Rusty Harold recently did with Jaxen when he relicensed it, >where very copyright holder had to publicly affirm that they approved >the license change. >> Hire the most expensive copyright lawyer you can find to defend you in court. >You may need this anyway, but having those statements will help. >Remember, if one of the contributors wrote some of that code on a >university machine, or while at work, they may not be _able_ to sign >over permission. Thus, even with written permission, you may end up on >the wrong end of a suit. >You have to set these things up before you start, if you do not want >headaches later. Given that you did not, you have a headache ahead, and >thus the best plan is trying to minimize it. Start with getting >permission, and see if something worse happens. That is a great argument for eliminating copyrights and patents and going open source. The Sage ============================================================= http://members.cox.net/the.sage/index.htm "Little minds are interested in the extraordinary; great minds in the commonplace" -- Elbert Hubbard, ROYCROFT DICTIONARY AND BOOK OF EPIGRAMS ============================================================= > >Reply to article by: Scott Ellsworth <scott@alodar.com> >>Date written: Mon, 17 Apr 2006 14:38:52 -0700 [quoted text clipped - 33 lines] > open > source. Open source and copyright and not mutually exclusive. I've released the source code to my RPG engine under GNU/GPL, but I still retain the copyright to it. You're free to download the source code, read it, learn from it, and make modifications to it. But if you use it to build your own RPG engine, and make that engine closed source, and sell the binaries for money, then I can sue you. Also, if you start an open source project, you *STILL* have to check the licenses of the source code you borrow from. That is, if your project uses source code from a GPL project, you have to ensure your code is GPL as well. So "going open source" does not eliminate all the legal bureaucracy stuff mentioned above. - Oliver >> That is a great argument for eliminating copyrights and patents and going >> open source. > > Open source and copyright and not mutually exclusive. I've released the > source code to my RPG engine under GNU/GPL, but I still retain the > copyright to it. It is, in fact, copyright (and copyright alone) that enforces the GPL. Without copyright law, software could be distributed without honouring the obligations set out by the GPL, such as correct attribution and distribution of source-code. SignatureBen Measures $email =~ s/is@silly/@/ > I think it is too complicate to check every function/routine belongs to > whom, what should I do to avoid the copyright problem? This is why you should have used @author tags in the first place, if you're modifying and incorporating other people's code. A much better idea is to keep the libs/jars separate and have a good readme with licenses, authors and locations all mentioned. Unfortunately, neither of these help solve your current problem, unless you have a spare tardis, Richard Free MagazinesGet these publications absolutely FREE for up to 12 months. There are no hidden fees and no obligation. Simply choose a title, complete the application form and submit it. Read more ...
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