On Sat, Jun 14, 2008 at 6:20 PM, S. Newhouse <sen1 at math.msu.edu> wrote:
> Ondrej Certik wrote:
>>
>> On Thu, Jun 12, 2008 at 5:25 PM, Robert Dodier <robert.dodier at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> On 6/12/08, Andrej Vodopivec <andrej.vodopivec at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>
>>>> I guess GPL. But if Manuel Bronstein was still alive I would ask for
>>>> his permission since this is just a port of his maple program.
>>>>
>>>
>>> As a derived work, a translation is governed by the license for the
>>> original,
>>> if I am not mistaken. Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer.
>>>
>>> However, last time I looked I was unable to find license statements
>>> on Bronstein's work which is still on the INRIA website.
>>>
>>> I wrote to INRIA, I forget who, a couple of years ago to ask about
>>> the disposition of Bronstein's work, but I didn't get a reply except
>>> maybe "we're working on it".
>>>
>>> So at this point I don't feel comfortable importing the Maxima
>>> translation of Bronstein's pmint. Some clarification from INRIA
>>> could change that, maybe it is worth pursuing again.
>>>
>>
>> I understand the rationalle, but intuitively, I find this quite
>> ridiculous that you cannot just take the algorithm, write it in maxima
>> (or in any other CAS) and put it in under your own license. So let's
>> say you will never receive an answer from INRIA. What can you do then?
>>
>> Ondrej
>> _______________________________________________
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>> Maxima at math.utexas.edu
>> http://www.math.utexas.edu/mailman/listinfo/maxima
>>
>>
>
> Check out
> http://digital-law-online.info/lpdi1.0/treatise27.html
> especially section V1.D.1 on the 'Clean Room.'
>
> It has apparently been established that the algorithms in computer codes can
> be reimplemented without copyright infringement--provided that the person or
> group doing the reimplementation has not seen any part of the original
> codes. Thus, one person could extract the algorithms in a computer program,
> give those to another person who has not seen the original program, and the
> second person could produce his or her own program implementing the
> algorithms without copyright infringement.
>
> However, section V1.D.2 indicates that, if the reimplementer has seen the
> original source code, then this may be an infringement. Thus, the safe way
> is to obtain permission from the copyright owner UNLESS one uses the 'clean
> room method.'
I see, that makes sense, thanks a lot for the explanation.
Ondrej