open source licenses and algorithms

[Michael Bauer]

I don't think copyright protects an algorithm.  I think you'd need a 
patent for that.  So, I don't think you can license an algorithm.  Of 
course, IANAL (just anal).

On the other hand, I always thought forking code was a bad thing.  Unless 
you wanted to develop a nice commercial alternative to open source.


On Mon, 21 Jan 2002, phil hunt wrote:

> On Monday 21 January 2002 12:07 pm, Patrik Wallstrom wrote:
> > I know this has been up for discussion before, but I didn't really
> > follow the thread, and I want to know some extra things.
> >
> > Is there any current open source licenses that can enforce the software
> > to follow an exact algorithm (as provided by the copyright owner) and
> > protocol?
> 
> This would restrict the ability to fork the code, and is clearly against
> the spirit of the OSD. 
> 
> > Does any of the licenses also prohibit a name change of the
> > software package?
> 
> I think this too would restrict the ability to fork the code.
> 
> 

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Michael Bauer        me at michaelbauer.com       http://www.michaelbauer.com

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