Re: [boost] copied boost files in other projects

Subject: Re: [boost] copied boost files in other projects
From: Rene Rivera (grafikrobot_at_[hidden])
Date: 2016-12-09 10:46:31

On Fri, Dec 9, 2016 at 1:50 AM, Antony Polukhin <antoshkka_at_[hidden]> wrote:

> 2016-12-08 18:39 GMT+03:00 Paul A. Bristow <pbristow_at_[hidden]>:
> >> > On 12/08/16 10:16, Oliver Kowalke wrote:
> >> >
> >> >> I encountered some projects that have copied files from boost and
> replaced
> >> >> the copyright and license notice by their own. Other projects have
> added
> >> >> their own license (for isntance MIT, LGPL ...) beside the Boost
> license
> >> >> notice in the copied files - does this mean that the code is dual
> licensed
> >> >> now?.
> <...>
> >> One option is to contact our SFC legal representative and ask them to
> look
> >> into the offending projects. They can then send authoritative notices to
> >> the projects.
> >
> > +1
> >
> > We should object to this strongly.
>
> I'd rather not.
>
> Forcing projects to leave the Boost license in copypasted code - is a
> bad advertisement that may scare off some projects. It may even scare
> off projects that are careful about licenses and never change them in
> copypasted code.
>

It may scare some people off but.. Keeping a clear license lineage is
important for reasons other than attribution. It protects Boost authors
from liability and counter IP claims. For example if someone relicenses
some files to GPL and the author doesn't complain about it.. At some future
point some one else can claim that GPL applies to other Boost code. If
someone relicenses authors could get sued for many reasons including bogus
patent violations and IP theft. I know it's only a small chance of such
things happening but it's not a zero chance.

> Just ignore the lowbrows
> :)
>

Unfortunately copyright doesn't see kindly to ignoring the "lowbrows". If
you don't enforce your copyrights you do have a real chance of loosing them.

-- 
-- Rene Rivera
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