From: Samantha Atkins (samantha@objectent.com)
Date: Sat Jul 07 2001 - 16:20:27 MDT
Felix Ungman wrote:
> Alex F. Bokov:
> >By the way, what if I take Symphony #5 by Felix, add some movements
> >and call it Symphony #5 by Felix and Alex. Or even Symphony #5 by
> >Felix with some minor enhancements by Alex. What makes you think this
> >evidences a lack of integrity? I cite you as the original author, and
> >I honestly disclose where I've altered your work.
>
> Samantha Atkins
> >But there are huge questions in there of exactly what "my"
> >should and should not apply to and to what degree it should
> >apply and for how long.
>
> If it's a derivative work, you'll need my permission. Admittedly, it's sometimes tricky to determince wheter it's a derivative work or not. It's an sliding scale, it depends on the amount of information, or rather complexity of the work involved.
>
How does this apply to scientific, mathematical or algorithmic
(software) discoveries and creations though? There are some
things that the above "common sense" is not applied to today.
Software is somewhere on the borderline. I helieve it should
fall or most advantageously should fall within the realm of
scientific and matehmatical discovery and works. So, if someone
builds on a softare component I have designed and built I do not
see that they need to ask my permission before doing so. I do
believe I should be able to prohibit them absconding with my
work in such a way that it is no longer available freely to
others to build on.
> Alex F. Bokov again:
> >Certainly. I'd respect inherently *uncopyable* software far more than
> >software that somebody else's ethics or laws presume to restrict me
> >from copying.
>
> Do you have an online bank account? If it's possible to break in to that, would it be ethical? Should it be legal?
>
All analogies are fundamentally worthless when it comes to
software. Including the ones I employ. <g>
> >That said, I will believe it when I see it. Users can
> >capture streaming content; they can use debuggers and disassemblers to
> >crack any password or serial number; they can then use p2p networks or
> >anonymous online space to share the 'liberated' software.
>
> Yes I agree, there will always be harmful petty "thievs" thinkering with such things for fun. Then there are "commercial" pirates that duplicates anything that sell.
>
Using the laws of physics and the theorems of mathematics is not
thievery. Neither is using the software algorithsm discovered
by others.
- samantha
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