Re: [boost] copied boost files in other projects

Subject: Re: [boost] copied boost files in other projects
From: Robert Ramey (ramey_at_[hidden])
Date: 2016-12-09 11:47:13

On 12/8/16 11:50 PM, Antony Polukhin 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.

As a practical matter, there's not much point to making efforts to 
enforce a copyright for a work which is made available without charge.

> 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.
>
> Many people know the Boost code and can recognize it in other projects
> even without copyright notices. Some countries ignore the EU/USA laws
> on licenses and people that rewrite license are not breaking their
> country law. Leaving the Boost license in copypasted code is mostly
> the matter of good upbringing and education. Just ignore the lowbrows
> :)

Writing of software is a work of authorship and craft just as is other 
works like music, theater, movies, etc. are.  We should apply the same 
criteria law, custom and procedure to our software  as other authors do 
to they're own work.  The writer of these works "own" their work in that 
they have certain rights to place conditions on it's use.  The Boost 
license states those conditions and are very, very, liberal.  Basically 
all we ask for is that those who use our work acknowledge it's 
provenance.  Anyone who does not want to do this is free not to use the 
work.

The concept of copyright has long history 
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_copyright_law) of promoting 
development of arts and technology.  It should not be lightly set aside. 
  Unfortunately, in recent years the software industry strayed away from 
copyrights into the world of patents - much to the detriment of software 
and technology and to the interests of those of us who create and use 
these tools.

As the author of a successful book on Boost and C++ 
https://www.amazon.com/Boost-C-Application-Development-Cookbook/dp/1849514887 
  Should that be also available for people to just copy and and promote 
as their own work?

Robert Ramey

PS

Actually, this is just a tiny peek at a much larger and more interesting 
subject which I could be provoked to rant on - but I'll spare you all that.