[GRASS-dev] Re: [GRASS-SVN] r30246 - grass/trunk/lib/gis

[Moritz Lennert]

On 22/02/08 05:04, Glynn Clements wrote:
> Ivan Shmakov wrote:
> 
>>>>> Or just omit it.
>> 
>>>>> AFAIK, a specific notice of copyright isn't particularly
>>>>> meaningful any more.
>> 
>> [...]
>> 
>>>> The notices like this are very convenient for the ones
>>>> ``curious'' of the conditions under which the file can be used.
>>>> 
>> 
>>>> They're of exceptional value for the free software, since they 
>>>> explicitly allow the code to be modified and distributed.
>>>> Without such a notice (either in COPYING, or in the file), the
>>>> file cannot be either modified or distributed at all.
>> 
>>> Oh, I'm not against including the GPL boilerplate: "This program
>>> is free software ...".
>> 
>>> But adding an explicit "(C) <date> <author>" line isn't useful,
>>> IMHO.
>> 
>> Actually, I'm in doubt whether the GPL notice will have any legal
>> value without the proper ``(C)'' line.  Unless someone relieve me
>> of this concern, I'd prefer to put this line as I've been doing
>> before.
> 
> Just how many times do I have to explain it to you?
> 
> If you don't understand copyright, consult a lawyer.

Just to plead for the ignorant here ;-):

http://www.fsf.org/licensing/licenses/gpl-howto.html

There is an explicit mention of a copyright line:

"Whichever license you plan to use, the process involves adding two
elements to each source file of your program: a copyright notice (such
as “Copyright 1999 Terry Jones”), and a statement of copying permission,
saying that the program is distributed under the terms of the GNU
General Public License (or the Lesser GPL)."

Moritz