Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!att!watmath!watdragon!lion!jyegiguere From: jyegiguere@lion.waterloo.edu (Eric Giguere) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga Subject: Re: PD or Shareware Copyrights Message-ID: <14731@watdragon.waterloo.edu> Date: 26 Jun 89 13:56:04 GMT References: <18195@louie.udel.EDU> <18280@louie.udel.EDU> <18366@louie.udel.EDU> Sender: daemon@watdragon.waterloo.edu Reply-To: jyegiguere@lion.waterloo.edu (Eric Giguere) Organization: U. of Waterloo, Ontario Lines: 30 In article shadow@pawl.rpi.edu (Deven T. Corzine) writes: [stuff about GNU Emacs not being PD deleted] > Now, whether >Amiga versions of MicroEmacs or MG are technically "derived works" of >GNU Emacs, I can't say for sure, but I would expect that they are. >Even if NO code overlaps, I suspect that they are at least reverse- >engineered from GNU Emacs is sufficient to consider them derived >works. Actually reverse-engineering isn't sufficient. A reverse-engineered program is an original program and hence is covered by copyright law. As someone pointed out, two people can copyright the same material providing they both came up with it independently and it is their original work. So if I made a complete list of the functions and commands of GNU Emacs and then proceeded to write my own version WITHOUT EXAMINING THE GNU SOURCE CODE, my code is protected by copyright. Unfortunately, these days the whole concept of reverse-engineering (good examples of which are GNU's Bison and Flex, which are better than the programs they imitate) is being increasingly muddied by so called "look-and-feel" copyrights and patents. (Note that patents, unlike copyrights, cannot be shared. The patentee has exclusive rights to the invention/design for a set number of years.) So while your code may not be in violation of copyright, the "look-and-feel" of it might since it's doubtful that your interface is your original, uninfluenced, work. Lawyers are having a field day with the computer industry. Eric Giguere 268 Phillip St #CL-46 For the curious: it's French ("jee-gair") Waterloo, Ontario N2L 6G9 Bitnet : GIGUERE at WATCSG (519) 746-6565 Internet: giguere@aries5.UWaterloo.ca "Nothing but urges from HELL!!"