news:1144979441.249207.161060@t31g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
> Hi All,
>
> I want to release some free source code, but not all code is done by
> me. (ex: I use some code from others into my project... )
>
> I think it is too complicate to check every function/routine belongs to
> whom, what should I do to avoid the copyright problem?
>
>
> Thank you very much.
>
> Best regards,
> Boki.
>

>Reply to article by: Scott Ellsworth <sc***@alodar.com>
>Date written: Mon, 17 Apr 2006 14:38:52 -0700
>MsgID:<scott-B2CBE8.14385217042***@news.west.cox.net>

>> >I want to release some free source code, but not all code is done by
>> >me. (ex: I use some code from others into my project... )

>Then you do not have the right to release the source.  (Unless, of
>course, that other code was written under contract such that you _do_
>own it.)

>> >I think it is too complicate to check every function/routine belongs to
>> >whom, what should I do to avoid the copyright problem?

>You should contact every single copyright holder involved with the code,
>and get a signed blanket permission.  At the least, do something like
>Elliote Rusty Harold recently did with Jaxen when he relicensed it,
>where very copyright holder had to publicly affirm that they approved
>the license change.

>> Hire the most expensive copyright lawyer you can find to defend you in court.

>You may need this anyway, but having those statements will help. 
>Remember, if one of the contributors wrote some of that code on a
>university machine, or while at work, they may not be _able_ to sign
>over permission.  Thus, even with written permission, you may end up on
>the wrong end of a suit.

>You have to set these things up before you start, if you do not want
>headaches later.  Given that you did not, you have a headache ahead, and
>thus the best plan is trying to minimize it.  Start with getting
>permission, and see if something worse happens.

"The_Sage" <recruit***@unitedamerican.com> wrote in message
news:0ddj42tfhmorjp3j79j4840bq5plfbvlec@4ax.com...
> >Reply to article by: Scott Ellsworth <sc***@alodar.com>
>>Date written: Mon, 17 Apr 2006 14:38:52 -0700
>>MsgID:<scott-B2CBE8.14385217042***@news.west.cox.net>
>
>>> >I want to release some free source code, but not all code is done by
>>> >me. (ex: I use some code from others into my project... )
>
>>Then you do not have the right to release the source.  (Unless, of
>>course, that other code was written under contract such that you _do_
>>own it.)
>
>>> >I think it is too complicate to check every function/routine belongs to
>>> >whom, what should I do to avoid the copyright problem?
>
>>You should contact every single copyright holder involved with the code,
>>and get a signed blanket permission.  At the least, do something like
>>Elliote Rusty Harold recently did with Jaxen when he relicensed it,
>>where very copyright holder had to publicly affirm that they approved
>>the license change.
>
>>> Hire the most expensive copyright lawyer you can find to defend you in
>>> court.
>
>>You may need this anyway, but having those statements will help.
>>Remember, if one of the contributors wrote some of that code on a
>>university machine, or while at work, they may not be _able_ to sign
>>over permission.  Thus, even with written permission, you may end up on
>>the wrong end of a suit.
>
>>You have to set these things up before you start, if you do not want
>>headaches later.  Given that you did not, you have a headache ahead, and
>>thus the best plan is trying to minimize it.  Start with getting
>>permission, and see if something worse happens.
>
> That is a great argument for eliminating copyrights and patents and going
> open
> source.