Re: Copywrite protection and source-code distribution

["David C. Rankin" <drankinatty suddenlinkmail com>]

On 07/31/2018 08:41 AM, Roger Matthews via gtk-app-devel-list wrote:
> I have developed an application using GTK+3.10. What copy-write protection can you (GTK+) provide for me. I 
> have been told that copywrite is free and automatic and that to protect the software from piracy I need 
> sufficient money to prove prior usage in a court of law.  I don't see how the requirement of including my 
> source code in the package will allow for successful commercialisation when someone can just simply copy 
> the source-code.  I have no problems about acknowledging GTK+ for providing the GUI development platform 
> and for helping with problems in coding, etcetera. Without adequate protection this requirement (including 
> the source-code) renders GTK+ useless as far as any kind of commercialisation is concerned, please 
> enlighten me on this matter.
>
> Roger Matthews

GTK+ is licensed under the GNU LGPL 2.1 allowing development of both free and
proprietary software with GTK+ without any license fees or royalties.

...

 To protect your rights, we need to make restrictions that forbid distributors
to deny you these rights or to ask you to surrender these rights. These
restrictions translate to certain responsibilities for you if you distribute
copies of the library or if you modify it.

For example, if you distribute copies of the library, whether gratis or for a
fee, you must give the recipients all the rights that we gave you. You must
make sure that they, too, receive or can get the source code. If you link
other code with the library, you must provide complete object files to the
recipients, so that they can relink them with the library after making changes
to the library and recompiling it. And you must show them these terms so they
know their rights.

...

By using Gtk+ in your project, you have agreed to both these rights and
responsibilities.

However, the protections against piracy depends largely on how your code is
factored and the uses it can be put to. While you have an obligation to
provide the Gtk+source and any modification and use you have made of it, but
that doesn't necessarily extend to all your source code. If you have a
"proprietary" part of your code, that does not include or rely on Gtk+ or any
extension and modification from it, you may well be free to copyright the
non-open portion any way you like. (I have seen decisions that carve out parts
of projects that can be protected.

Remember how long and how much money the SCO suit cost? Litigation is
something to avoid. It you want to impose a stricter license on some part of
your code, make sure you can prove that code doesn't rely on Gtk and isn't an
extension or modification from it. Then nothing prevents you from licensing
that part as you see fit. But if you can't make a clear delineation between
where the open-source code stop and where yours begins, it may not be worth
the hassle. Depending on what the code is, and your competitors in the market,
that may just provide a bullseye they were looking for.

-- 
David C. Rankin, J.D.,P.E.