Group copyright, and customising standard licenses

[David Johnson]

On Sunday 26 August 2001 03:16 pm, Magnus Lie Hetland wrote:

> But how do I reconcile such an enumeration of copyright holders with the
> Python license? Could I do something like this?
>
> Python license:
> 1. This LICENSE AGREEMENT is between the Python Software Foundation
> ("PSF"), and the Individual or Organization ("Licensee") accessing and
> otherwise using Python 2.2 software in source or binary form and its
> associated documentation.
>
> Anygui license:
> 1. This LICENSE AGREEMENT is between [insert names here]
> ("Copyright Holders"), and the Individual or Organization ("Licensee")
> accessing and otherwise using Anygui 0.1 software in source or binary form
> and its associated documentation.
>
> ... where "[insert names here]" is replaced with a list of names of the
> anygui developers?

Since copyright is granted to the authors automatically upon publication, you 
can simply use "copyright holders" when referring to the authors. Put should 
any legal action need to be taken by either side in a dispute, you will want 
to document the actual copyright holders somewhere. At the top of the license 
I would put "Anygui Copyright (c) 2001 by Major Author, Major Author, Major 
Author and contributors." Make sure you have an AUTHORS files listing all 
contributors. And make sure each source file contains the names of everyone 
who worked on that file.

But again, I am not a lawyer. I would seek out other opinions besides mine.

-- 
David Johnson
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