Re: (c) Copyright Question
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Hayden McKay wrote:
> So my question is; how are theese peices of code legaly copyright?
> Or did the author of the code just decietfuly put the (c) logo there?
No. It is perfectly legal to copyright the contents of a text file,
which is what source code is. It is also legal to copyright the compiled
binary code. The USA currently DOES allow "software patents". I found
this brief description of the difference between copyrights and patents
to be useful:
To give you some of the biggest differences between copyrights and
patents: Copyrights cover the details of expression of a work.
Copyrights don't cover any ideas. Patents only cover ideas and the
use of ideas. Copyrights happen automatically. Patents are issued by
a patent office in response to an application. (Stallman, 2002)
>
> n.b. I'm talking about functions, algorythms etc... NOT a compliled
> computer program.
There is no difference between a compiled comuter program and it's
source code. The source code is simply a more convenient way of editing
the application. The two are conceptually the same, as they express the
same operation in different ways.
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> For example lets asume peices of 'code' can be copyright
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> If a 'so called' copyright function uses a Microsft Windows *.dll,
> then under the same conditions the *.dll functions would be copyright
> to Microsoft and the author of the 'so called' copyright function has
> 'no right' to use the *.dll in his function and claim copyright for
> himself.
>
The DLLs shipped with Windows are supplied for the express purpose of
being used by other applications. By obtaining a legal license to run
Windows, you may run any code that calls those DLLs. Writing code that
uses other copyrighted code isn't illegal. It's only illegal if the
person executing the code doesn't have the right to use that DLL, as
should anyone who has a legitimate copy of Windows.
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> n.b My personal thoughts about copyright.
>
>
Stallman, 2002: http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~mgk25/stallman-patents.html
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Hayden McKay wrote:<br>
<blockquote type="cite"
cite="mid943342706-1463792126-1073414680 at boing.topica.com">
<meta content="text/html; " http-equiv="Content-Type">
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<div><font size="2" face="Arial">So my question is; how are theese
peices of code legaly copyright?</font></div>
<div><font size="2" face="Arial">Or did the author of the code just
decietfuly put the (c) logo there?</font></div>
</blockquote>
No. It is perfectly legal to copyright the contents of a text file,
which is what source code is. It is also legal to copyright the
compiled binary code. The USA currently DOES allow "software patents".
I found this brief description of the difference between copyrights and
patents to be useful:<br>
<blockquote>To give you some of the biggest differences between
copyrights and
patents: Copyrights cover the details of expression of a work.
Copyrights don't cover any ideas. Patents only cover ideas and the use
of ideas. Copyrights happen automatically. Patents are issued by a
patent office in response to an application. (Stallman, 2002)<br>
</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite"
cite="mid943342706-1463792126-1073414680 at boing.topica.com">
<div> </div>
<div><font size="2" face="Arial">n.b. I'm talking about functions,
algorythms etc... NOT a compliled computer program.</font></div>
</blockquote>
There is no difference between a compiled comuter program and it's
source code. The source code is simply a more convenient way of editing
the application. The two are conceptually the same, as they express the
same operation in different ways.<br>
<blockquote type="cite"
cite="mid943342706-1463792126-1073414680 at boing.topica.com">
<div> </div>
<div><font size="2"
face="Arial">------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</font></div>
<div><font size="2" face="Arial">For example lets asume peices of
'code' can be copyright</font></div>
<div><font size="2"
face="Arial">------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</font></div>
<div> </div>
<div><font size="2" face="Arial">If a 'so called' copyright function
uses a Microsft Windows *.dll, then under the same conditions the *.dll
functions would be copyright to Microsoft and the author of the 'so
called' copyright function has 'no right' to use the *.dll in his
function and claim copyright for himself.</font></div>
<div> </div>
</blockquote>
The DLLs shipped with Windows are supplied for the express purpose of
being used by other applications. By obtaining a legal license to run
Windows, you may run any code that calls those DLLs. Writing code that
uses other copyrighted code isn't illegal. It's only illegal if the
person executing the code doesn't have the right to use that DLL, as
should anyone who has a legitimate copy of Windows.<br>
<blockquote type="cite"
cite="mid943342706-1463792126-1073414680 at boing.topica.com">
<div><font size="2"
face="Arial">-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</font></div>
<div> </div>
<div><font size="2" face="Arial">n.b My personal thoughts about
copyright.</font></div>
<div> </div>
<font size="2"><font face="Arial"></font></font><br>
</blockquote>
Stallman, 2002: <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~mgk25/stallman-patents.html">http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~mgk25/stallman-patents.html</a><br>
<br>
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