how much right do I have on my project, if there are patches by others?

[Matthew Flaschen]

Rick Moen wrote:
> Quoting Matthew Flaschen (matthew.flaschen at gatech.edu):
> 
>> Great.  I'm not impressed that ESR is correct, either, simply because he
>> happened to publish an essay.
> 
> Is this some sort of wacky conversational gamesmanship?  The reason I
> ask is that I hadn't made any sort of appeal to authority, so declining
> one where none was offered seems, at best, an odd response.

You said "It turns out that -- as a matter of law, as opposed to ethical
norms -- the cited community view is pure bullshit."  I merely mean to
point out that it is not settled who is correct, as a matter of law.
Thus, I am reluctant to accept that the community view is "pure bullshit".

>> I'm not citing it as proof of the state of copyright law.
> 
> Wait, were you the Matthew Flaschen <matthew.flaschen at gatech.edu> who
> cited a contract's terms on a question of copyright law

I am indeed the one and only Matthew Flaschen
<matthew.flaschen at gatech.edu>.  Exactly what comment are you referring to?

>> ...ESR's view...
> 
> As an occasional co-author myself, and on behalf of co-authors
> everywhere, I'd ask that you please, next time you attempt to read
> multi-author essays, not skip half the header data.

My mistake.

Matthew Flaschen