[123673] trunk/base/src

[David Evans]

On 8/12/14 4:13 AM, Clemens Lang wrote:
> Hey,
>
>> The file name line should be removed (here and everywhere else, really) and
>> the standard MacPorts modeline inserted instead of this very short one.
> I agree, r123675.
>
>>> +# Copyright (c) 2007, 2009, 2011 The MacPorts Project
>>> +# Copyright (c) 2007 James D. Berry
>> I think we just need the MacPorts copyright line with 2014 as the year, and
>> James Berry's copyright line removed. But IANAL and I'm actually not sure
>> how copyright lines should be handled in the case of files that are based on
>> other files.
> Neither am I, but I took the risk here in r123675.
>
IANAL either but I have managed projects where this sort of thing was an
issue and
IP lawyers were involved.

The key is that copyrights protect the expression of an idea not the
idea itself (as a patent would).
Therefore, the copyright protects the literal text not an algorithm.

The test then is whether any recognizable sequence of code from the
original remains.  Small
fragments that might occur in any code and cannot be written otherwise
may be dismissed.

Of course, a sure fire approach would be to see if Berry would be
willing to assign any copyright
interest he might have in the code to The MacPorts Project.

Dave