[Framers] OT: Copyright rules for scripts

[Craig Ede]

If you purchased the script and it has a copyright notice in it, it is reasonable to assume that the writer of the script expects to be compensated for the script. I would not use it inside your own script unless you work out a way to compensate the original script writer as well. (And you can assume they don't want it given away free, but you could ask.)

However, copyright covers the expression of an idea, not the idea. So you can freely use the concepts of a script to accomplish the same task.

That is a slippery concept. You can't simply change the variable names to "reexpress" the script. At the same time, you can do the same things, just a bit differently and in a different order and be safe, I think, since there are only so many ways to code a loop, etc.

This is why script writers sometimes "compile" their scripts into some other non-text form so that you can't see what concepts they have used. The ones that leave this transparent are being generous, but not to the point of wanting you to steal their particular code.

Good luck,

Craig
Copyright rules for scripts are the same as other copyrights. Nothing special for scripts.
________________________________________
From: Framers <framers-bounces+craigede=hotmail.com at lists.frameusers.com> on behalf of Klaus Daube <frame at daube.ch>
Sent: Monday, May 23, 2016 11:53 AM
To: framers at lists.frameusers.com
Subject: [Framers] OT: Copyright rules for scripts

   Dear Framers!

   3 years ago I ordered and got an ExtendScript according to my
   specifications for which I paid quite an amount. The author placed a
   note in the script:

   // Copyright 2013, Author.Company.Com. All rights reserved.

   May I (as purchaser of a specific work) use this work as a base for own
   work which I then offer to the public on my website?

   With all this plagiarism discussion in the back of my neck: When using
   other people's work (which normally does not contain any copyright
   notice) I have started to include a note such as:

   Based on xxx.jsx (http://...).

   fo example:

   function FindAndReplaceString (activeDoc, findString, replaceString,
   loopMax)

   // Source: Russ Ward in
   https://forums.adobe.com/message/3888653#3888653

   I have seen © notices in script souce such as the following - which is
   clear to allow what I intend to do:

   // © 2010 Matt Di Pasquale

   //

   // Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person
   obtaining a copy

   // of this software and associated documentation files (the
   "Software"), to deal

   // in the Software without restriction, including without limitation
   the rights

   // to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or
   sell

   // copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software
   is

   // furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

   //

   // The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be
   included in

   // all copies or substantial portions of the Software.

   But such long statements are rare. The script example is 90 lines, of
   which the complete © notice is 20 lines.

   We all build our work with the help from others - or we need to close
   all forums. IMHO it is fair use to state the source of the bricks which
   I use to build a new script. But does this violate the claims of the
   author mentioned on top?

   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
   ~~

   Docu + Design Daube; Schäracher 11; CH-8053 Zürich

   Technical documentation & consultancy; On-line and paper

   F: +41-44-422 86 25  E: ddd at daube.ch  W: www.daube.ch
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