CodeProject copyright policy
-
Hi everybody! First post in the forum... great web site anyway. I browsed most of the FAQs on CodeProject.com but could not find its copyright policy regarding the source code users attach to their articles. Somewhere the FAQs say that CodeProject is a place where users can "share" their code. Now, does that mean the source code in the articles is public domain? GPL licensed? MIT? BSD? Or is every case different and do I always have to check with the author first?
-+ HHexo +-
-
Hi everybody! First post in the forum... great web site anyway. I browsed most of the FAQs on CodeProject.com but could not find its copyright policy regarding the source code users attach to their articles. Somewhere the FAQs say that CodeProject is a place where users can "share" their code. Now, does that mean the source code in the articles is public domain? GPL licensed? MIT? BSD? Or is every case different and do I always have to check with the author first?
-+ HHexo +-
And here goes the footer text of CP in every article:
Article content copyright <Article Author> everything else Copyright © CodeProject, 1999-2007.Vasudevan Deepak Kumar Personal Homepage Tech Gossips
-
Hi everybody! First post in the forum... great web site anyway. I browsed most of the FAQs on CodeProject.com but could not find its copyright policy regarding the source code users attach to their articles. Somewhere the FAQs say that CodeProject is a place where users can "share" their code. Now, does that mean the source code in the articles is public domain? GPL licensed? MIT? BSD? Or is every case different and do I always have to check with the author first?
-+ HHexo +-
The copyright always belongs to the author, but I believe most authors are happy for others to use the code from their article, so long as you don't try to claim it as your own. If in doubt, you could always ask a specific author if you want to use their code. regards,
Jonathan Wilkes Darka [Xanya.net]
-
Hi everybody! First post in the forum... great web site anyway. I browsed most of the FAQs on CodeProject.com but could not find its copyright policy regarding the source code users attach to their articles. Somewhere the FAQs say that CodeProject is a place where users can "share" their code. Now, does that mean the source code in the articles is public domain? GPL licensed? MIT? BSD? Or is every case different and do I always have to check with the author first?
-+ HHexo +-
Generally speaking, if you're working on something non-commercial, it should be fine to use the code. In a commercial project it's good courtesy to ask the author for permission, but usually they'll be happy to let you use the code in exchange for a mention in the user docs or about box :)
-
Hi everybody! First post in the forum... great web site anyway. I browsed most of the FAQs on CodeProject.com but could not find its copyright policy regarding the source code users attach to their articles. Somewhere the FAQs say that CodeProject is a place where users can "share" their code. Now, does that mean the source code in the articles is public domain? GPL licensed? MIT? BSD? Or is every case different and do I always have to check with the author first?
-+ HHexo +-
You have to check with each author individually. The admins are working on a way to indicate licenses in articles, but that's not in place yet.
--Mike-- Visual C++ MVP :cool: LINKS~! Ericahist | PimpFish | CP SearchBar v3.0 | C++ Forum FAQ Ford, what's this fish doing in my ear?
-
Hi everybody! First post in the forum... great web site anyway. I browsed most of the FAQs on CodeProject.com but could not find its copyright policy regarding the source code users attach to their articles. Somewhere the FAQs say that CodeProject is a place where users can "share" their code. Now, does that mean the source code in the articles is public domain? GPL licensed? MIT? BSD? Or is every case different and do I always have to check with the author first?
-+ HHexo +-
If you go to CP home page and then click on "Submit an article", it will contain the follow: "If you post to CodeProject then you retain copyright of your article and code. You also give CodeProject permission to use it in a fair manner and also permit other developers to use the sourcecode associated with your articles in their own applications as long as they do not remove your copyright notices or try and take credit for your work." There does not appear to be any restrictions on commerical use.
Rocky <>< Latest Code Blog Post: Free grid for WPF! Time limited - act now! Latest Tech Blog Post: Scratch: fun for all ages for free!
-
If you go to CP home page and then click on "Submit an article", it will contain the follow: "If you post to CodeProject then you retain copyright of your article and code. You also give CodeProject permission to use it in a fair manner and also permit other developers to use the sourcecode associated with your articles in their own applications as long as they do not remove your copyright notices or try and take credit for your work." There does not appear to be any restrictions on commerical use.
Rocky <>< Latest Code Blog Post: Free grid for WPF! Time limited - act now! Latest Tech Blog Post: Scratch: fun for all ages for free!
Some authors put more restrictive terms in the article or sourcecode zip (I've seen free for non comercial, all others must pay up licensing before). Which license agreement actually takes precedence is ambiguous, so I refuse to touch that code. Chris has fixing the issue in his to do list, but doing it right involves paying lawyers which gets expensive fast. I wouldn't hold my breath on it.
-- Rules of thumb should not be taken for the whole hand.
-
Some authors put more restrictive terms in the article or sourcecode zip (I've seen free for non comercial, all others must pay up licensing before). Which license agreement actually takes precedence is ambiguous, so I refuse to touch that code. Chris has fixing the issue in his to do list, but doing it right involves paying lawyers which gets expensive fast. I wouldn't hold my breath on it.
-- Rules of thumb should not be taken for the whole hand.
I totally agree! I would not touch any code with any additional licensing as is acceptible for posting today (which is basically BSD). If it were me, I would just inform every author that has a posting other than listed in the post article section, that they need to change their licensing to be open or have them removed. The site should be focused on sharing, not licensing issues.
Rocky <>< Latest Code Blog Post: New enhancements to VS WYSIWYG! Latest Tech Blog Post: Scratch: fun for all ages for free!
-
I totally agree! I would not touch any code with any additional licensing as is acceptible for posting today (which is basically BSD). If it were me, I would just inform every author that has a posting other than listed in the post article section, that they need to change their licensing to be open or have them removed. The site should be focused on sharing, not licensing issues.
Rocky <>< Latest Code Blog Post: New enhancements to VS WYSIWYG! Latest Tech Blog Post: Scratch: fun for all ages for free!
Rocky Moore wrote:
I totally agree! I would not touch any code with any additional licensing as is acceptible for posting today (which is basically BSD).
Yep. Any additional licensing that doesn't include the phrase "free for comercial use" sends the code strait into the bitbucket. What I really hate is that one library I liked and started working with for 2 or 3 days had a 'non commercial use only' license hidden in the source zip. Wasn't mentioned in the article, wasn't in a file that was part of the project, wasn't in a header file at the top of the code. IT was just sitting there hiding in the zipfile waiting to be discovered after I'd already done most of the integration work to use it. :mad: :mad: :mad:
-- Rules of thumb should not be taken for the whole hand.
-
Rocky Moore wrote:
I totally agree! I would not touch any code with any additional licensing as is acceptible for posting today (which is basically BSD).
Yep. Any additional licensing that doesn't include the phrase "free for comercial use" sends the code strait into the bitbucket. What I really hate is that one library I liked and started working with for 2 or 3 days had a 'non commercial use only' license hidden in the source zip. Wasn't mentioned in the article, wasn't in a file that was part of the project, wasn't in a header file at the top of the code. IT was just sitting there hiding in the zipfile waiting to be discovered after I'd already done most of the integration work to use it. :mad: :mad: :mad:
-- Rules of thumb should not be taken for the whole hand.
Also, those times you use open source software and have it integrated into your products and the company decides to go commerical with it and places a "not for commerical" use license on the stuff or drops the project completely. At least with BSD, public forks take place and projects live on such as happened with .Text and the fork, Subtext. If I use depend on any open source it has to be BSD.
Rocky <>< Latest Code Blog Post: New enhancements to VS WYSIWYG! Latest Tech Blog Post: Scratch: fun for all ages for free!