version 1.30, 2014/03/24 14:54:06 |
version 1.31, 2014/03/25 16:32:56 |
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<h2><font color="#e00000">Copyright Policy</font></h2> |
<h2><font color="#e00000">Copyright Policy</font></h2> |
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<hr> |
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<h3><font color="#e00000">Goal</font></h3><p> |
<li><h3><font color="#e00000">Goal</font></h3><p> |
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Copyright law is complex, OpenBSD policy is simple - OpenBSD strives to |
Copyright law is complex, OpenBSD policy is simple - OpenBSD strives to |
provide code that can be freely used, copied, modified, and distributed |
provide code that can be freely used, copied, modified, and distributed |
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cooperation of the people involved. |
cooperation of the people involved. |
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<p> |
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<li><h3><font color="#e00000">The Berkeley Copyright</font></h3><p> |
<h3><font color="#e00000">The Berkeley Copyright</font></h3><p> |
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The original Berkeley copyright poses no restrictions on private or commercial |
The original Berkeley copyright poses no restrictions on private or commercial |
use of the software and imposes only simple and uniform requirements |
use of the software and imposes only simple and uniform requirements |
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components may not be. |
components may not be. |
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<p> |
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<li><h3><font color="#e00000">Copyright Law</font></h3><p> |
<h3><font color="#e00000">Copyright Law</font></h3><p> |
While the overall subject of copyright law is far beyond the scope of |
While the overall subject of copyright law is far beyond the scope of |
this document, some basics are in order. Under the current copyright law, |
this document, some basics are in order. Under the current copyright law, |
copyrights are implicit in the creation of a new work and reside with |
copyrights are implicit in the creation of a new work and reside with |
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rights to use, copy, modify, distribute, and license the work. |
rights to use, copy, modify, distribute, and license the work. |
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<p> |
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<li><h3><font color="#e00000">Permissions - the flip side</font></h3><p> |
<h3><font color="#e00000">Permissions - the flip side</font></h3><p> |
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Because copyrights arise from the creation of a work, rather than through |
Because copyrights arise from the creation of a work, rather than through |
a registration process, there needs to be a practical way to extend |
a registration process, there needs to be a practical way to extend |
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<p> |
<p> |
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Note that a license is not to be confused with a copyright transfer. |
Note that a license is not to be confused with a copyright transfer. |
While a tranfer would give the new copyright holder <em>exclusive</em> |
While a transfer would give the new copyright holder <em>exclusive</em> |
rights to use the code and take these rights away from the author, |
rights to use the code and take these rights away from the author, |
a license typically grants <em>additional</em> people non-exclusive |
a license typically grants <em>additional</em> people non-exclusive |
rights to use the code, while the authors retain all their rights. |
rights to use the code, while the authors retain all their rights. |
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Again, an important point to note is that the release and conditions can |
Again, an important point to note is that the release and conditions can |
only apply to the portion of the work that was originated by the copyright |
only apply to the portion of the work that was originated by the copyright |
holder - the holder of a copyright on a derivative work can neither |
holder—the holder of a copyright on a derivative work can neither |
grant additional permissions for use of the original work, nor impose more |
grant additional permissions for use of the original work, nor impose more |
restrictive conditions for use of that work. |
restrictive conditions for use of that work. |
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<p> |
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more restrictive permissions in his future distributions of that work. |
more restrictive permissions in his future distributions of that work. |
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<li><h3><font color="#e00000">Specific Cases</font></h3><p> |
<h3><font color="#e00000">Specific Cases</font></h3><p> |
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This section attempts to summarize the position of OpenBSD relative to |
This section attempts to summarize the position of OpenBSD relative to |
some commonly encountered copyrights. |
some commonly encountered copyrights. |
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was freed by Caldera, Inc. on 23 January 2002 and is now available under a |
was freed by Caldera, Inc. on 23 January 2002 and is now available under a |
<a href="http://www.tuhs.org/Archive/Caldera-license.pdf">4-term BSD-style license</a>. |
<a href="http://www.tuhs.org/Archive/Caldera-license.pdf">4-term BSD-style license</a>. |
As a result, it would theoretically be possible to incorporate original |
As a result, it would theoretically be possible to incorporate original |
Unix code into OpenBSD. However, that code is now so old that it doesn't |
Unix code into OpenBSD. However, that code is now so old that it does not |
satisfy today's interface and quality standards. |
satisfy today's interface and quality standards. |
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<dt>Public Domain<dd><p> |
<dt>Public Domain<dd><p> |
While material that is truly entered into the "Public Domain" can be |
While material that is truly entered into the "public domain" can be |
included in OpenBSD, review is required on a case by case basis. |
included in OpenBSD, review is required on a case by case basis. |
Frequently the "public domain" assertion is made by someone who does |
Frequently the "public domain" assertion is made by someone who does |
not really hold all rights under Copyright law to grant that status or |
not really hold all rights under copyright law to grant that status or |
there are a variety of conditions imposed on use. For a work to be |
there are a variety of conditions imposed on use. For a work to be |
truly in the "Public Domain" all rights are abandoned and the material |
truly in the "public domain" all rights are abandoned and the material |
is offered without restrictions. |
is offered without restrictions. |
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domain. |
domain. |
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</dl> |
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