Author: KarinsDad
Date: 09:00:03 03/21/00
Go up one level in this thread
On March 21, 2000 at 11:14:41, Andrew Dados wrote: >On March 21, 2000 at 10:23:34, Georg v. Zimmermann wrote: > >>Hi, >> >>If you started "serious" chess programming by modifying an Open Source program, >>spending countless hours, at what point can you honestly speak of "YOUR program" >>? >> >>In my case I rewrote the complete evaluation function, I changed the piece >>values drastically and added / changed some of the extensions and rewrote the >>time-handling routine + minor things. >> >>But 95% of the code is still the original, since I didn't feel like inventing >>the wheel so no changes to basic alpha-beta or move-generation routines or >>winboard connection. >> >>My finger notes on Fics say that the program is "[original program] with changes >>in ...", I would like to call it "[my program], based on [original program]". >> >>Do you think that is ok ? What is your opinion ? At what point can you give it >>an own name and don't have to speak of a "modified xyz" anymore ? >> >>Regards, >>Georg v. Zimmermann > >I may try some 'rule of thumb' here: If you wrote more, than, say, 50% of code >yourself, and the rest is based on some open source, you could say "[my >program], based (originated) on [that program]". Otherwise it's just [that >program] with some stuff added/tweaked... > >There is one interesting issue here - if someone distributes his source ment as >a tool to base on when building your program (under e.g. GPL), then you can >treat that tool like any other. How much code is yours in typical MFC based >windoze proggy (or Delphi) anyway? Some 10-40% maybe... > >In any case license of that open source should be decisive and explicitly state >what is/is not allowed... > >That all IMO of course. >-Andrew- I tend to agree with Andrew. If we have to draw the line, we have to draw it with respect to the person who wrote the original code and not to the person who modified it. Open source code is kind of like a book. If Frank wrote a book on "How to Build a House" and Fred came along and made a few modifications, I would tend to think that this revised book is now called "How to Build a House by Frank, with revisions by Fred". Now that I have said that, I will put a caveat on it. If the person who writes the original source states that anyone can use it for anything, then the second person can change one line of code and the revised program is now 100% the second person's. But if the first person retains his/her copyright, then even a revised program can only be used by the second person with permission of the first person (and it obviously is not the second person's program). JMO. KarinsDad :)
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