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From: | S. Christian Collins |
Subject: | Re: [fluid-dev] Soundfont licensing |
Date: | Mon, 31 Aug 2009 09:19:56 -0500 |
User-agent: | Thunderbird 2.0.0.23 (X11/20090817) |
David Henningsson wrote:
That's the hard part. Most of these samples (including the ones originally shipped with Creative sound cards) provide no information on copyright. I've already checked the sample history to the best of my ability, and I can find no indication that any of the samples in GeneralUser are being used illegally. Now if I were to sell them, I'd imagine it would be a different story. All that being said, most of the samples in GeneralUser are either original or heavily modified, and those that aren't original are usually buried under original programming where they are no longer recognizable.S. Christian Collins skrev: All sources are copyrighted one way or another. The question is under what license terms you're allowed to use the source. I suggest you read the license terms of the Creative/E-MU banks as well as any other free bank you remember having taken samples from, to make sure you don't violate those terms already.
David Henningsson wrote:
Part of this was in response to a trend years ago where some websites were taking SoundFont banks, renaming them and selling them on their site. Some SoundFont authors would also frequently take an existing GM bank, change one or two instruments and then release it under a different name, which I thought was kind-of cheap. I never felt that GeneralUser was ripping off other banks, because even when I would borrow samples, I would modify and change so many things that it wouldn't resemble the original anymore.For example, your soundfont has the following license condition: "Don't take portions of GeneralUser GS and claim the work as your own." Would you allow someone to take portions of GeneralUser GS, add some of his own samples and publish it under another name - just as you did to Creative, and possibly more people?
David Henningsson wrote:
You know what? I am willing to take that chance. Ultimately, I want the work I've done to have as much impact as it possibly can, and I think that if it can be used alongside FluidSynth to make people's lives easier, then I'm all for it. I will look into the different license recommendations I've received and re-release GeneralUser GS under the new license.Last, some personal thoughts. Releasing some work under a "free" license means passing through a mental barrier, at least for me. It means giving up some rights that you have, and that is sometimes a difficult thing to do. And things can go wrong and your work can take turns you did not want to in the first place. But there are also chances, that your work will become something greater and better than you could ever do yourself. Often I'm willing to take that chance. Are you?
Thank you for your help :) -~Chris
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