Author: KarinsDad
Date: 14:41:32 02/17/99
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On February 17, 1999 at 17:24:20, Bruce Moreland wrote: > >On February 17, 1999 at 17:17:59, Dan Homan wrote: > >>If so, is it ok to make whatever changes you like and keep them >>private... so long as you do not distribute the modified program? > >It has to be distribution. You can download it and fiddle with it, but if you >call it "foo" and make it available for download or sale, I think you'd have to >include the source as well. > >bruce I do not know the answer to this. My post here is just my opinion and is not based on any correct or incorrect interpretation of the copyright laws. I disagree with the distribution answer being the only factor for two reasons. The first reason can be explained with the example I gave in my original post. If you had a slightly modified version on your system which was faster due to you modifying the source to work on a Pentium II cpu, then you have a "better" version on that system (it could be a worse version or better stated, it's a different version). You would not have this different version if you did not have the original source. Hence, if it wasn't for Robert's original source, you would not be able to play with your "faster/better" version. Since Robert gave you the possibility of creating your version, then you should reciprocate by making that version available to Robert (and the general public as well). This goes along with the Linux idea of sharing what you do so that everyone can benefit. One of the reasons that the source is shared is to enable better ideas to be incorporated into it. This cannot be done if people do not make their changes available (for whatever reason). The second reason is that many of these programs are played on the Internet. I think that any program which is different and is played on the Internet should have to make it's changes available. KarinsDad
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