[greasemonkey] RE: [Greasemonkey] Modifying other authors' GmScripts

[Michael Bierman]

Why not use CC or GPL or whatever? Simply provide links for authors to
choose an existing one and encourage them to do so (maybe make some sort of
license required--even if it is one of the author's own choosing.  There are
enough existing licenses that any normal situation has to be covered by an
existing one, but a developer could  choose to create his/her own and post
it in a URL. 

Michael 

-----Original Message-----
From: greasemonkey-bounces at mozdev.org
[mailto:greasemonkey-bounces at mozdev.org] On Behalf Of Matthew Gertner
Sent: Thursday, May 26, 2005 7:15 AM
To: greasemonkey at mozdev.org
Subject: [greasemonkey] RE: [Greasemonkey] Modifying other authors'
GmScripts

I was thinking about a related issue, which is liability for scripters (and
potentially for Greasemonkey contributors). IANAL, and I'm not *that*
paranoid either, but it is a teensy bit disturbing to think that someone
might claim that a script had caused them material damange and try to sue
the author.

How's this for an idea: someone draws up a standard Greasemonkey license
that authors can cut and paste into their scripts. It could be based on
Creative Commons with an additional disclaimer than waives liability for any
damage caused by the script.

I think people would be more inclined to include a license if all they have
to do is paste it in (I certainly would). The one drawback is that a lawyer
would have to draw it up or at least check it. Anyone know a GM-friendly
lawyer who would do this pro bono (or is there an IP lawyer lurking out
there, reading this)?

Matt

> -----Original Message-----
> From: greasemonkey-bounces at mozdev.org [mailto:greasemonkey- 
> bounces at mozdev.org] On Behalf Of Nikolas Coukouma
> Sent: Thursday, May 26, 2005 3:05 PM
> To: greasemonkey at mozdev.org
> Subject: Re: [Greasemonkey] Modifying other authors' GmScripts
> 
> Martin Sarsale wrote:
> 
> >>I think it is "Rude!" to modify other authors' scripts and then 
> >>publish them as the "original" script (new version or not) without 
> >>the express permission of the original author.
> >>
> >>
> >
> >Usually the "express permission" is given by the license the script has.
> >For example
> >http://dunck.us/code/greasemonkey/gmail-mark-read-button.user.js
> >is GPL code, you don't need more permission than that to start a new 
> >script based on that, with other name. Its nice to provide a link to 
> >the original script, anway :)
> >
> >See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GPL
> >
> Yeah, but many authors are lazy with licensing. If a license is 
> absent, you should assume that all rights are reserved and ask if you 
> want to do something. Realistically, I think most authors are okay 
> with "modification with attribution."
> 
> -Nikolas Coukouma
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