Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!iuvax!cica!ctrsol!sdsu!csun!csusac!mmsac!qmet!sc From: sc@qmet.UUCP (Steve Croft) Newsgroups: comp.lang.misc Subject: Re: PD vs copyright (was Copylefting) Message-ID: <782@qmet.UUCP> Date: 5 Aug 89 20:20:49 GMT References: <26@ark1.nswc.navy.mil> <15965@vail.ICO.ISC.COM> Organization: Qualimetrics, Inc., Sacramento Lines: 24 In article <15965@vail.ICO.ISC.COM>, rcd@ico.ISC.COM (Dick Dunn) writes: > In article <12361@pur-ee.UUCP>, hankd@pur-ee.UUCP (Hank Dietz) writes: > > I'd just like to clarify that public domain (PD) software DOES carry a > > copyright... > > If you put a notice in a piece of software saying that it is in the public > domain, but accompanying it with a restriction, you have made conflicting > statements. The best you could hope for if someone disobeyed the restric- > tion you attempt to place on it is a very murky legal hassle. Actually, there would be no legal hassle (unless the lawyers just wanted to go through the motions :). If you have "Public Domain" associated with your code, then it doesn't matter how many restrictions you place on it... it's still public domain. If you don't want your code to be placed in the public domain, don't even place those words in your licensing info (that may be extreme, but better to play it safe).A Just state your restrictions and let it go at that. steve -- ****************************************************************************** * If what I say is incorrect, * Steve Croft, Qualimetrics, Inc. * * then it's not what I meant! * (uunet!mmsac!qmet!sc) * ******************************************************************************