[alicebot-archcomm] copyright on mailing list messages

[ccallen]

A general rule of thumb is if you have ideas for building your own
commercial system, dont blast them out onto an internet mailing list. Dont
use GPL'ed code, or other people's protected code. Translate your ideas into
a design and write your code from scrtatch. And once you start to generate
interesting code, dont post it to a news group.

A second rule is that the world is a competitive place full of highly
skilled people looking for fresh ideas. If you have a cool idea, chances are
someone else has had that same idea and may actually be working on it. If
you do have an orginal idea, once you've blasted it to a news group you can
pretty much kiss it good bye.

Has anyone ever considered a different kind of licensing? The GPL seems to
be geared more toward the commercial world. An Achedemic type license might
be a better fit for AimlBot. One where it says you are free to use the code
for non-commercial use only and if you intend to use the code in a
commercial system you must negotiate a license (usually with some royalties
involved) with the holders to the rights to the code. This leads to the
question, who holds the rights to the code? Is it AIF, Richard Wallace, the
individuals who wrote the code?

Conan

----- Original Message -----
From: "Anne Kootstra" <anne@aiml.info>
To: <alicebot-archcomm@list.alicebot.org>
Sent: Friday, February 21, 2003 5:10 AM
Subject: RE: [alicebot-archcomm] copyright on mailing list messages


> It indeed states on the mailing list main page that all code is considered
> to be free software, although no licence has been mentioned. It would be
an
> unwise choice to assume that AIML code on the style list is published
under
> the GPL since it requires that 'derivative work' is also covered by the
GPL.
>
>
> Some companies, or freelance individuals, that use code examples from the
> style list, or the general for that matter, may encounter difficulties
using
> them if GPL is considered to be applied. They, or their client, may not
want
> to risk that the AIML knowledgebase they developed can be used without
their
> (explicit) permission because of the use of GPL'ed code.
>
> In the case of a person creating an innovative AIML 'library' that he or
she
> wishes to profit financially from. If the GPL is applied to code examples
on
> the mailing list that this programmer has used in his library s/he will
have
> a large mix of licenses (GPL, NDA, Contract) to set up to protect his work
> from being spread further without his permission. Not a very attractive
> prospect.
>
> In the case of the messages on the General, Developer and Style mailing
list
> being Public Domain (which is different from GPL) this wouldn't be the
case.
> In this situation the developer can apply his own licence to the entirety
of
> his work, including the code examples from the mailing list. He or she
need
> not to worry about any additional legal copyright hassle, since no
> provisions are applicable to the example code. It remains available to
all,
> even after this programmer has released some of it under a proprietary
> licence.
>
> So I think the assuming that the messages in the mailing lists are public
> domain would be best.
>
> --Anne
>
>
>
> > -----Oorspronkelijk bericht-----
> > Van: alicebot-archcomm-admin@list.alicebot.org
> > [mailto:alicebot-archcomm-admin@list.alicebot.org] Namens Dr.
> > Rich Wallace
> > Verzonden: vrijdag 21 februari 2003 9:03
> > Aan: alicebot-archcomm@list.alicebot.org
> > Onderwerp: RE: [alicebot-archcomm] copyright on mailing list messages
> >
> >
> > Any code published on the -style mailing list is presumed to
> > be free software published under the GPL.  The other lists
> > are up for grabs.
> >
> > >
> > > 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
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > alicebot-archcomm mailing list alicebot-archcomm@list.alicebot.org
> > > http://list.alicebot.org/mailman/listinfo/alicebot-archcomm
> >
> >
> > --
> > Dr. Rich
> > W A L L A C E
> > ALICE A.I. Foundation
> > drwallace@www.alicebot.org
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > alicebot-archcomm mailing list alicebot-archcomm@list.alicebot.org
> > http://list.alicebot.org/mailman/listinfo/alicebot-archcomm
> >
> >
>
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