Re: LYNX-DEV one-screen lynx -help page proposal

[Klaus Weide]

On Wed, 5 Mar 1997, Scott McGee (Personal) wrote:
> Klaus Weide <address@hidden> writes:
> >
> >On Wed, 5 Mar 1997, root wrote:
> >
> [My original deleted]
> >> 
> >> I would agree, except it should probably be:
> >> 
> >> Lynx Version LYNX_VERSION
> >> Copyright (c) 1979, Lynx Developers Group
> >> Copyrighted under the terms of the GNU General Public License
> >> <URL:http://lynx.browser.org/>
> >
> >This looks like wishful thinking:  There isn't any "Lynx Developers Group"
> >un-diffuse enough to hold a copyright.
> >
> >The copyrights to individual contributions belong to individual
> >contributors,  who chose to allow use and distribution under the terms of
> >the GPL.
> 
> You're right. Lets drop the "Lynx Developers Group" part.

[ and later, you propose: ]
> Lynx Version $LYNX_VERSION
> Copyright (c) 1997
> Distributed under the terms of the GNU General Public License.
> See http://lynx.browser.org/ for bug reports or further information.
                                               ^^ (I suggest and)

I like that, except see next paragraph, but that is of course neither here
nor there.  Since this is under discussion and construction, we should get 
that legal stuff right (if it has to be there).

I think I have never seen a Copyright notice (except in Lynx) which
doesn't tell *who* the copyright holder(s) is/are.  And it doesn't seem to
make sence, since (my understanding) a copyright notice is supposed to
give notice who owns the copyright, right?

  Lynx Version $LYNX_VERSION
  Copyright (c) 1992, 1993, 1994 University of Kansas
  Copyright (c) 1995, 1996, 1997 individual contributors
  Distributed under the terms of the GNU General Public License.
  ...

(Whether we like it or not, and whether they like it or not, in my
understanding the U. of Kansas owns the copyright to the historice
core of the Lynx code.  It doesn't seem right not to acknowledge that
fact, just because they won't have anything to do with Lynx
development now.  Note e.g. the beginning of userdefs.h.
The file about_lynx/COPYHEADER is still in the distribution, and it says:

   Lynx is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
   under the terms of the GNU General Public License, version 2, as
   published by the Free Software Foundation.

   ....

   Any licensing or usage questions should be directed to Michael
   Grobe <address@hidden>.

I don't know whether that is still valid, but I see no indication that
it has been superseded.)

> >I suggest asking Richard Stallman (or the FSF) for advice what such a
> >notice should say, if there has to be one at all.
> 
> I think there should be one. I like the idea of consulting Richard Stallman.
> I would suggest this refinement of my previous suggestion (with other 
> refinements).

Ok, somebody should do it.

  Klaus

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