[alicebot-archcomm] copyright on mailing list messages

[Anne Kootstra]

Ernest said:
> Another problem might be AIML snippets already 
> published in the mailing lists: They are GPL and can't be sold!

I doubt this is the case since no mention of any licence is made during
registration, nor is any notice of a licence being applied found on any
message. It is therefore very unlikely that code in AIF mailing list
messages is GPL'ed. 

Although the issue of copy rights on mailing list messages remains an issue.
I do think that sharing code in a public forum constitutes an indirect
approval for the use of such a piece of code by other individuals. So, for
that reason I think it may be reasonable to state that all code in the AIF's
mailing list archives is public domain instead of licensed at all.

But this is something which should be decided by the appropriate courts. In
any case the original author will always need to take an active role in the
protection of his or her ideas.

--Anne