Questions tagged [legal]
OFF TOPIC QUESTIONS ARE NOT SUPPORTED! Questions about legal matters, including software licensing, are off-topic here. ask a lawyer, or try the law stack exchange site.
262
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Difference between read and write access (data, IoT)
i am a lawyer and currently writing an essay about data access in ioT environments. I often stumble over the distinction between read access and write access. Could someone provide me with an example, ...
0
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1
answer
198
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NDA for potential competitor demo [closed]
I have a new website product which I'm beginning to demo. I have the opportunity to demo to a relatively large potential client. I've found out (from the individual) that they already have a similar ...
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4
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How do I prove an app is mine? [closed]
So I am in the process of finishing an app (android for now), and I have a doubt about if I should have papers that proof that I made that app.
Its the first time for me to publish an app, and I am ...
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2
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0
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90
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Can one copy their own code from a different company? [duplicate]
Lets say someone has written code for multiple companies that have then copyrighted you work. Another company gives them a similar project to one they have worked on previously. Would it be legal for ...
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2
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251
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How can a company know that I re-used some techniques? [closed]
I'm a software engineer in a company.
However, I'm planning to start a self project very soon.
I wonder if I am allowed to re-use the code I have written in my company product in my project.
It is ...
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1
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107
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Do I need any sort of gdpr/cookie/localstorage notification if I only save data when the user creates an account?
I've made a website which is going into production soon. The website doesn't store any information about the user unless they create an account, in which case I save username, email and a password to ...
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1
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94
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Is modification allowed if license does not mention it? [closed]
I recently came across this license agreement on software:
Personal Use License
The content owner grants the buyer a non-exclusive, perpetual, personal use
license to view, download, display,...
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2
votes
1
answer
396
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With source code lost, can the binary be released as MIT without it? [closed]
I preserve old software by asking copyright owners (often one author) to release the source code under an Open Source License, GPL or MIT. In many cases the source is gone, but the binaries still ...
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1
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160
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Can I use my own software with a different license from that one used to make it public? [closed]
I ask because I found no answer to this, maybe because is too obvious (I think there is no thing like "legally obvious").
Imagine that I make a small library (DLL) or a styling template (CSS) or ...
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votes
1
answer
146
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Legality of website forking? [closed]
In general, what is the legality of website forking?
I am based in the United Kingdom and intending to host my website on U.S. or Canadian servers.
I am looking at creating a website about ...
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2
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155
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Should I use unknown code from a third party? [closed]
I am looking to build and host a website for a client. Their existing site has a facility that allows customers to make donations and they want the new site to have it too.
My manager has told them ...
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1
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98
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NDA for heavily invested Enterprise ERP Platform [closed]
Background: I am a Php developer with a keen interest in Enterprise Design Patterns and Architecture. I have a relative (living in a different continent and has no business dealings in the country ...
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votes
1
answer
222
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Can I put all license files for different open source projects I use in my application in one folder? [closed]
I am developing a project that uses the Electron framework which is released under the MIT license, but my question is not necessarily restricted to this one case: If an open source project comes with ...
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1
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111
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What license do companies use while developing software? [closed]
I believe it shows that I never worked on any major closed-source project so sorry for any misconceptions on my part.
Say a company is developing some software and needs to hire a contractor to help ...
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1
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394
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How to avoid accidental Copyright Infringement? [closed]
If I were to write a security application and sell it or "opensource" it, how would I avoid writing the same code coincidentally if I cannot review source code of other programs out there? (and ...
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1
answer
121
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"parallel construction" vs agree-to-EULA-before-download
There's this application whose official website requires that people provide their email and agree to a EULA before they send you a download link. The EULA forbids redistribution and publication of ...
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1
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Is it required to credit author of software released under the MIT license?
I make some changes in console application that was released under the MIT license but i don't understand much about the license. Is it required to credit the original author in it and do i need to ...
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1
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Creating a private in-house application with Qt
I want to create an application using the Qt framework, but can not at all afford a commercial license. While looking at the licensing comparison table, I noticed that the LGPLV3 license said this:
...
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4
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486
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Read/Write third party SQL Server database
One of my customers has a licensed software for business management and uses a SQL Server as database server (The database is open and I can run queries). They have a need that the current software ...
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3
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1
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564
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Can I use R via RDOTNET without having to provide the source code of my application
Can I use R via RDOTNET without having to provide the source code of my application.
R is covered under GNU GPLv3.
RDOTNET is under New BSD.
From the RDOTNET description:
"R.NET enables the .NET ...
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4
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1
answer
579
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Potential legal issues with lock-free / wait-free structures / algorithms
While researching the subject matter - lock-free and wait-free data structures - I'm seeing a worrying amount of mention of patents with this area. I've hobby-researched compression algorithms years ...
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1
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Can I use libraries published under MPL 2.0 and MIT in a project that uses APL 2.0?
I want to use two particular open-source libraries, in unmodified form, as dependencies of a project. One of the libraries is published under the MIT license; the other library is published under the ...
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3
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3k
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Own project: Open source to closed source [duplicate]
In this thread it is discussed if it is legally possible to take on open source project and close its sources. But this seems to refer to someone else's project.
So, my question is: What about my own ...
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3
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462
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Including GPL software in closed-code project
Regarding GPL software use in a commercial project, I have the following situation:
I would like to commercially distribute an Excel-Macro application,
which uses a GPL licensed software (G77 ...
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3
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1
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146
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Should we include 3rd party open source licenses if only copying syntax?
We're working on a commercial software product that uses partial syntax from 3rd party open source alternatives but none of the code from these. For example, the open source alternative have a static ...
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2
votes
2
answers
74
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Is it worth adding identification to trials/demos? [closed]
In the world of pirates stealing software, one common technique is to download a trial or demo, patch it and upload this as the stolen version of a piece of software or game. This makes me think: if I ...
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1
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Are hashed bank account numbers PCI data?
Background:
I work for an NPO which receives large numbers of paper check donations every week. The current process of recording the donations is tedious and done mostly on paper. Because most ...
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2
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How to manage copyright notices from contributors to a BSD licensed project
We have the following BSD license in the LICENSE file:
Copyright (c) 2006-2016 SymPy Development Team
All rights reserved.
Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
...
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2
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1
answer
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Using a WrapBootstrap theme in an open source project
I'm developing a desktop analytics application wrapped in Electron (that integrates with an external REST API), and am looking to use one of the WrapBootstrap themes to spruce it up.
I'm deciding ...
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3
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Do I have to use GPL for my linux application? If yes, how not to legally?
I've written a linux application that interfaces with a lot of GPL software. My application is written in javascript/HTML/CSS/python and uses MariaDB on a CentOS 7 platform (it also uses jquery and a ...
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1
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License issues re: using Angularjs and Bootstrap in a desktop app [closed]
I'm a web developer and I've been asked to write a desktop app. The languages and libraries that I'm most familiar with are standard web tools (Javascript, Angular, Bootstrap). I'd like to use these ...
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0
answers
59
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Modifying GPL program to expose internal functions for use in non-GPL program [duplicate]
I know that according to GPLv2 if my non-GPL program links and calls internal functions of a GPL program, my own proprietary program must then be open-sourced (if it's distributed).
But suppose that ...
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1
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In the GNU Affero GPL, do paying customers count as the 'public'?
In the GNU Affero General Public License, there is a section that reads:
The GNU Affero General Public License is designed specifically to
ensure that, in such cases, the modified source code ...
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1
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Can I use GitHub as my mobile app's data store? [closed]
Given a relatively simple mobile app that consumes semi-static (infrequently updated by hand) data, is it a good idea to simply store said data in a public GitHub repo, in form of a structured ...
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Can I change a theme and then sell it? [closed]
I am thinking of starting with the "Start Bootstrap" theme from Bootstrap and I want to change it and add stuff, new pages to work with Wordpress and then put it up for sale.
http://startbootstrap....
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3
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What exactly is copyrighted, the text of the code itself, or the design? [closed]
I am both the sole developer for a relatively small company and someone who enjoys programming as a hobby. Recently, for one of my personal projects, I started making a framework for a RESTful API and ...
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vote
1
answer
267
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Xamarin/Mono LGPL Compliance
The LGPL seems to stipulate that I have to distribute my app in a way that the LGPLed code can be replaced. Xamarin keeps saying that to distribute a mac app in the store, I need to use Xamarin.Mac ...
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0
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Packing open source software alongside a commercial software
I'm creating a commercial web-app and to avoid compatibility issues between operating systems and browser I want to pack a portable chromium alongside my software and to use it to run the app. GPL2 ...
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4
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Is this the correct way to include this MIT licensed software in my software?
I'm using this script in one of my projects. It's licensed under MIT or Apache 2.
I've committed JSON.sh (as in, just the script) to my project, and copy+pasted the MIT license (as it appears in ...
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0
answers
114
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Client and access to Github history [closed]
About a year ago, our company hired a development company to build a mobile app we had been longing to do, but never got the time to develop.
With previous bad luck with outsourcing, we got it on ...
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1
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0
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83
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How to include licences in commercial software [duplicate]
I work for a commercial organisation that produces closed source paid-for software. We have a legal department and we are currently getting them to help us comply with the terms of the open source ...
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vote
2
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444
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What happens if some server side GPLv2 code is leaked? [closed]
So, I know that if you use GPLv2 code in some server side code, you do not need to release that code (as long as you're not distributing it, of course :). However, let's assume that you accidentally ...
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At what point can I call GPL code my code? [closed]
I need some legal advice if possible.
So I'm going to be implementing some code under OSS license. I realize that even if I rewrote the implementation, I need to include the license.
However a lot ...
2
votes
1
answer
262
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Choosing a software license that requires written permission to use commercially
I'm looking for a license that I haven't seen before. I would like a license that allows other people to use my code non-commercially, but unless they have written permission they should not be able ...
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2
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1
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272
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Enforcing open source software license
How can one enforce open source licensing terms on the usage of its derivative works?
For example, if a software is GPL licensed, and I use that software to develop some closed-source application of ...
3
votes
1
answer
425
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Should I modify an algorithm I coded for my employer if I remember the code perfectly and want to reuse?
My employer asked me to code a simple algorithm from a general description published by someone on the Internet (no code/pseudocode, just plain words and pictures). So to clarify, it's not my employer'...
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1
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Using Unlicensed Code
Say for example, I was to find a github project that was started but not quite complete or that was complete and I wanted to use that code within a larger project but the author of the code has not ...
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2
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211
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Can one deny specific parties the right to use and modify otherwise open source software?
I have an open source project that has the attention of some peers, and several of them are eager to contribute. There is one amongst them, however, who I wish (largely for comedic purposes; it's a ...
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2
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88
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Web software license for redistribution by our customer [closed]
I work in a web agency; we developed a web application for a customer.
Once the app was done, the customer asked us the property rights for
our whole app so he can sell it to others.
In this case, ...
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1
vote
1
answer
783
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If I find a public web API am I allowed to use it in my application? [closed]
If I find a public web API (by public I mean that isn't protected by any type of authentication) what do I need to do so that I am allowed to use it in my own application?
Is it enough to read and ...
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