Re: [boost] Re: Legal issues and licensing -- again

From: Terje Slettebø (tslettebo_at_[hidden])
Date: 2003-04-09 09:35:38

>From: "Bo Persson" <bop2_at_[hidden]>

> <Schalk_Cronje_at_[hidden]> skrev i meddelandet
> news:BF37CB1153BBD6118A4B0002A542AC2B824B0E_at_dev-exchange1.eur.nai.com...
> > I hate to have to bring these kind of things onto the list.  Our legal
> department has gone through the licenses in the header files > and have
> issues with two modules - dynamic_bitset and preprocessor. Both cases are
> related to the fact that below the
> > copyright message lines such as
>
> > // With optimizations, bug fixes, and improvements by Gennaro Prota.
> > and
> > # /* Revised by Paul Mensonides (2002) */
> >
> > appear. They have an issue with the fact in both cases the person in
> question did not add an additional copyright message.
> > Now, I am at odds and ends here as I am not a legal expert, but I am of
> the opinion that the legal department is wrong in this
> > case. Can someone shed some light on this?
>
> No, technically they are correct. Improvements and revisions are owned by
> their respective author.
>
> Unless permission is given, you might only be allowed to use the original
> versions. :-)

Maybe one could have used copyright assignment to the stated copyright
holder, the way FSF does.

By the way, some libraries (such as Boost.Config) have copyright
"Boost.org". Is Boost a legal entity?

Regards,

Terje