DOS ain't dead - diffs to non-free source code, copyright infringement?

diffs to non-free source code, copyright infringement? (Developers)

posted by Ninho , 04.04.2011, 13:33

> I don't think that other diffs are not copyright infringement if context
> diffs are. Doesn't every diff format contain some of the original
> information? (Haven't looked at them and compared them very well now
> though.) And even if there was one that didn't, wouldn't merely new (added)
> source code contain enough implied information to be an infringement?
> Depending on the usage of the program's internal interfaces and such.

Might it not depend upon how much has to be quoted from the original work?
Doesn't "fair use" authorize limited extracts for illustration purpose ?

Practical example off my head : to allow programs compiled by one of those "batch
compilers" to return the last errorlevel, as it should, we have to
minimally change the compiler from : mov ax, 4C00h int 21h ,
to smthg like: mov ah,4Ch mov al,err_rc int 21h ,
plus hopefully modify a greeting message to indicate version changed.

Diffs such as this example can hardly be said to include enough original
content to infringe on copyright. I would be careful to mention that a
user's right to use the diffs is conditioned on his right to use the
original Pc magazine utility.

It's a real pain in the you-know-where that a full binary can't be
provided. I hate the idea of losing my time in making robust patchers
and/or debug scripts & the like. Pfff!

---
Ninho

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Complete thread:

may I publish fixes to utilities such as PC Magazine's ? - Ninho, 01.04.2011, 20:19 (Developers)
- may I publish fixes to utilities such as PC Magazine's ? - Laaca, 02.04.2011, 09:29
  - may I publish fixes to utilities such as PC Magazine's ? - Ninho, 02.04.2011, 10:41
    - may I publish fixes to utilities such as PC Magazine's ? - Rugxulo, 02.04.2011, 20:11
      - may I publish fixes to utilities such as PC Magazine's ? - Ninho, 02.04.2011, 23:55
        may I publish fixes to utilities such as PC Magazine's ? - Rugxulo, 03.04.2011, 01:22
        diffs to non-free source code, copyright infringement? - ecm, 03.04.2011, 01:30
        diffs to non-free source code, copyright infringement? - Ninho, 04.04.2011, 13:33
        diffs to non-free source code, copyright infringement? - Khusraw, 04.04.2011, 14:02
        diffs to non-free source code, copyright infringement? - Ninho, 04.04.2011, 17:56
        diffs to non-free source code, copyright infringement? - Khusraw, 04.04.2011, 19:28
        diffs to non-free source code, copyright infringement? - Ninho, 05.04.2011, 13:42
        diffs to non-free source code, copyright infringement? - Khusraw, 06.04.2011, 12:46
        may I publish fixes to utilities such as PC Magazine's ? - Ninho, 04.04.2011, 13:03
      - may I publish fixes to utilities such as PC Magazine's ? - Arjay, 21.05.2011, 09:14
- may I publish fixes to utilities such as PC Magazine's ? - Khusraw, 03.04.2011, 09:52
  - may I publish fixes to utilities such as PC Magazine's ? - RayeR, 04.04.2011, 00:46
    - may I publish fixes to utilities such as PC Magazine's ? - Ninho, 04.04.2011, 18:03