Can you alter the MIT license?

Bruce Perens bruce at perens.com
Mon Nov 15 22:04:33 UTC 1999


From: Justin Wells <jread at semiotek.com>
> How far can you go with this notion that you cannot copyright a fact? Can you
> copyright the arrangement of chess men on a chess board?

The arrangement of chess pieces is not the same sort of concrete fact as
"Woodhaven Rd. runs between these two points". You could make the point that
representations of a game with commentary are copyrightable, but not the
positions themselves.

> If you cannot copyright that, then how can you copyright the arrangement of 
> letters on a page? 

The design of the English language does not contain the set of all facts that
can be stated in English.

	Thanks

	Bruce



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