OPEN Source

[Ian Lance Taylor]

"Todd Premeaux" <rpremeaux1 at houston.rr.com> writes:

> "Using some forms of open source software" I meant as use in its original
> unmodified form! Clearly when you modify the original work, shouldn't we
> still give the original author recognition for the original contribution?
> Unless, the original author has expressly requested that his work not be
> modified and redistributed!

When you modify the original work, you should follow the license
agreement under which the original work is distributed.  That does
generally mean some form of recognition for the original author.
There are often other restrictions as well.

> It is my experience that most professional coders do give credit to others
> that have contributed to the final product!

It is my experience that most professional coders follow the license
agreements for software which they use.

> My concern is that the basic trust for Open Source coding and its reuse
> rights could become a behemoth and defeat what most participants feel was
> originally meant as a method for sharing and learning new code methods!

The free software movement developed out of a desire to be able to
modify existing software packages to fix bugs, add new features, and
customize them for local use.  Sharing and learning new code methods
was certainly part of the free software movement, but it was not the
major driver.

Ian