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public domain (1 Viewer)

JayWalker

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neuro_logik said:
Good ole' GNU and Richard Stallman! that cleared things up, stupid Sam Davis!
Umm ok well that site made no sense to me, could you like tell it to me in terms that dont beat around the bush?
 

neuro_logik

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neuro_logik

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From the word of the divine GNU organisation (lol)

Public domain software is software that is not copyrighted. If the source code is in the public domain, that is a special case of non-copylefted free software , which means that some copies or modified versions may not be free at all.

In some cases, an executable program can be in the public domain but the source code is not available. This is not free software, because free software requires accesibility of source code. Meanwhile, most free software is not in the public domain; it is copyrighted, and the copyright holders have legally given permission for everyone to use it in freedom, using a free software license.

Sometimes people use the term ``public domain'' in a loose fashion to mean ``free'' or ``available gratis.'' However, ``public domain'' is a legal term and means, precisely, ``not copyrighted''. For clarity, we recommend using ``public domain'' for that meaning only, and using other terms to convey the other meanings.

Under the Berne Convention, which most countries have signed, anything written down is automatically copyrighted. This includes programs. Therefore, if you want a program you have written to be in the public domain, you must take some legal steps to disclaim the copyright on it; otherwise, the program is copyrighted.
 

JayWalker

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you see that crap makes no sense to me... can you translate that crap to tell me this:

Do you have to acknowldedge use of code obtained by public domain
 

xeriphic

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so not protected by copyright though you still need to give credit to the orginal founder is that it
 

MedNez

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Yes.

You can modify it all you want, but you have to give credit to the original author.
 

sig

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Is there a difference between public domain software and freeware?
 

Freedom_Dragon

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Difference

Freeware: Also known as postcardware. Freeware is accompanied by a software licence agreement. U dont pay developers to be able to use the software. U cannot do anything that is contrary to the licence agreement ( Eg: distribute/copy/modify). Its also known as postcardware because the developers provide it free of charge & requests that users give feedbacks.

Public Domain: Also known as open source. Is software that has no copyright. This means that u can modify, distribute, copy the software.
 

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