copyrights

[Samuel Reynolds]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: DeBug [mailto:debug at centras.lt]
> Sent: Tuesday, November 06, 2001 11:17 AM
> To: license-discuss at opensource.org
> Subject: Re[2]: copyrights
> 
> 
> >> "THIS SOFTWARE IS NOT COPYRIGHTABLE"
> 
> JC> There is no such thing as software which is not copyrighted,
> JC> unless it exists only in your imagination.  As soon as a text
> JC> of any sort is written down, unless it is a mere alphabetical
> JC> list of words or such, it is inherently copyrighted by the
> JC> author.
> That's awfull !!!
> 
> How do you prove in court that this is your software and that it is
> your right to decide how other people use it?
> Well really how do you prove it is your work(and control 
> right) and nobody else?
> 
> What is awfull is that I want to make my software not controlled
> (no one has the right to say how other people use it) - i simply do
> not put any notes about the author, make it anonymous work.
> Now it seems to be impossible to make software not copyrightable
> because someone else can write his name and claim it was he
> who wrote the software.
> 
> --
> Best regards,
>  DeBug                            mailto:debug at centras.lt
> --

IANAL, TINLA, etc. ad nauseum.

So use the BSD license. This will grant rights to anyone to
create derivative works--whether they release changes back
to the community via the same or another open source license
or they take the changes private. At the same time, this will
make it clear who wrote it (and holds the copyright) and allow
you to disclaim responsibility for what others do with the
software.

In the USA, you used to have to publish 5 copies to obtain
copyright; now all you have to do to hold copyright is to
write it. If you manage, somehow, to publish it anonymously,
it will be nearly impossible to enforce your copyright
against a leech--and therefore almost impossible to keep
a leech from claiming copyright and enforcing it against
others--including you!

- Sam

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