• From: 127.0.0.1
  • Registered: 2001-11-02
  • Posts: 9,167

Topic: FAQ: Copyright

As I have been getting a few questions about this, I thought it would be a good idea to straighten a few things out. FAQ inspired by a post in the phpBB community forums.


Q: May I remove the copyright from the page footer?

Yes, but please don't. If you must, please try to keep at least "Powered by PunBB" with the link to this site intact.


Q: May I add my own copyright to the page footer?

Yes, but you may not alter the original copyright in such a way that it loses it's original "meaning". It must, in other words, still be absolutely clear who is the copyright holder of PunBB. Adding an additional line with your copyright notice is ok.


Q: May I remove the copyright from the source code?

No. The copyright notice in all the source files must be left intact. Any modification or removal of this copyright is illegal under the terms of the GNU General Public Licence.

"Programming is like sex: one mistake and you have to support it for the rest of your life."

Rickard's Website

2 Reply by Some guest

  • Some guest
  • Guest

Re: FAQ: Copyright

When I'll finish translating the PunBB Hebrew and release it, is it ok to write 1 line after Version 1.0.1 (instead of Rikard Anderson thingy) Translated into Hebrew by the PunBBHeb team?

  • From: 127.0.0.1
  • Registered: 2001-11-02
  • Posts: 9,167

Re: FAQ: Copyright

Yes, it's OK. I don't like it, but it's OK.

"Programming is like sex: one mistake and you have to support it for the rest of your life."

Rickard's Website

  • Frank H
  • Former PunBB Developer
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2003-03-16
  • Posts: 1,423

Re: FAQ: Copyright

why not add the "Translated to Hebew by..." below the Copyright notice?
as I don't see the point in removing Rickard Andersson's name?

5 Reply by Weow

  • Weow
  • Member
  • Offline
  • From: Nashua NH
  • Registered: 2003-08-24
  • Posts: 12

Re: FAQ: Copyright

Well technically it wouldn't be okay. From what I learned about copyrights, you cannot remove a copyright notice without purchasing the rights or receiving the rights to from the copyright holder. So you have to leave it there by law, and just add your own copyright below his, or above his. My copyright says

© PunBB code Copyright 2002, 2003 Rickard Andersson
© Post contents & website Copyright 2003 Weow Networks and/or their respective owners

  • From: 127.0.0.1
  • Registered: 2001-11-02
  • Posts: 9,167

Re: FAQ: Copyright

Weow: Well, that would be true if I hadn't explicitly stated that I allow people to remove the copyright notice. Removing it from the source code, on the other hand, is NOT allowed.

"Programming is like sex: one mistake and you have to support it for the rest of your life."

Rickard's Website

7 Reply by Weow

  • Weow
  • Member
  • Offline
  • From: Nashua NH
  • Registered: 2003-08-24
  • Posts: 12

Re: FAQ: Copyright

Ah I see.

8 Reply by Some guest

  • Some guest
  • Guest

Re: FAQ: Copyright

Kennel wrote:

Yes, it's OK. I don't like it, but it's OK.

If you don't like it i'm going to do like what Frank H said. I need to translate the copyrights also?

  • From: 127.0.0.1
  • Registered: 2001-11-02
  • Posts: 9,167

Re: FAQ: Copyright

No, you don't need to translate the copyright. You can't actually :) It's not in any of the language files.

"Programming is like sex: one mistake and you have to support it for the rest of your life."

Rickard's Website

10 Reply by Slash

  • Slash
  • Junior Member
  • Offline
  • From: Israel
  • Registered: 2004-06-08
  • Posts: 7

Re: FAQ: Copyright

Rickard wrote:

No, you don't need to translate the copyright. You can't actually smile It's not in any of the language files.

Its in the PHP Files ..
I add to the Copyrights in Hebrew translate by PunBBHeb .

Best regards,
Slash

Slash's Website

11 Reply by galak

  • galak
  • Guest

Re: FAQ: Copyright

Hi, i am planning to integrate PunBB into Aegir, a frontend to the Midgard-CMS.
I have read the FAQ on Copyright of course and promise to stick to it.
Now my Questions:
1.) In order to migrate PunBB into the CMS its necessary to change some code
(f.x. all mysql-calls have to be changed into midgard-functions)
2.) I may not be able to implement all the functions of PunBB
(so far I can see troubles with parts of the search-function and might not integrate reports)

Any Objections or Questions?

If not, i will let you know when a working draft is up and running smile

  • From: 127.0.0.1
  • Registered: 2001-11-02
  • Posts: 9,167

Re: FAQ: Copyright

galak: No problem as long as you comply to the terms of the GNU General Public License. What it sais is basically that your product must also be released under the GPL.

"Programming is like sex: one mistake and you have to support it for the rest of your life."

Rickard's Website

13 Reply by reviewum.com (edited by reviewum.com 2004-11-19 09:03)

  • Registered: 2004-11-19
  • Posts: 186

Re: FAQ: Copyright

Personally, I don't think ANYONE should remove the link / copyright notice on the bottom of their forum unless:

1)  They've donated some money to Rickard for all his hard work.
or..
2)  They've found him that programming job he mentioned on the home page.

Keep up the great work man!

Rob Ludlow 
www.Nifty-Stuff.com - Repository of all Stuff Nifty!
www.reviewum.com - Professor Ratings + Teacher Reviews
  • From: 127.0.0.1
  • Registered: 2001-11-02
  • Posts: 9,167

Re: FAQ: Copyright

Hehe, I like that :)

"Programming is like sex: one mistake and you have to support it for the rest of your life."

Rickard's Website

  • Connorhd
  • Connorhd
  • Former PunBB Developer
  • Offline
  • From: Leeds, UK
  • Registered: 2004-06-13
  • Posts: 4,195

Re: FAQ: Copyright

i don't think anyone should remove the link back to punbb, i don't mind so much about the copyright since if you have the link its easy to come and see who made it, but if theres no link and people like it then they can't get it and it just sucks

FluxBB.
Connorhd.co.uk.

Connorhd's Website

16 Reply by chrizz

  • From: Eskilstuna, Sweden
  • Registered: 2004-05-23
  • Posts: 143

Re: FAQ: Copyright

A couple of years ago I would have probably removed the copyright notice. Lately i've been programming alot my self and I know how much time goes into something like this. I would be mad if someone basicly took credit for my work so I would never do it to anyone else. Give the guy some credit, keep the copyright and link. Thats not much to ask, is it?

chrizz's Website

17 Reply by zaqaz

  • Registered: 2005-07-26
  • Posts: 12

Re: FAQ: Copyright

can I move credits to special page ("Site Credits" or "About") instead using in footer each time?

18 Reply by gustaf

  • gustaf
  • Junior Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2005-07-31
  • Posts: 2

Re: FAQ: Copyright

I, too, have the same question as zagaz. Would it be ok if instead of tacking it on to the bottom of every page I put a detailed and laudatory description, link, and copyright on a special "About this Site" page? Especially because I'm probably going to use PunBB multiple times across the aforementioned site's large administration interface.

-gustaf

  • From: Gothenburg, Sweden
  • Registered: 2002-05-27
  • Posts: 222

Re: FAQ: Copyright

To qoute the first post in this thread:

Rickard wrote:

Q: May I remove the copyright from the page footer?
Yes, but please don't. If you must, please try to keep at least "Powered by PunBB" with the link to this site intact.

So yes, there is nothing legally wrong in doing so, but please keep a small link if you can.

  • Registered: 2005-03-07
  • Posts: 362

Re: FAQ: Copyright

I'm a good boy, I have donated and kept all copyright notices in place on all of my punbb forums big_smile

Punbb mods & styles

downliner's Website

  • From: Philippines
  • Registered: 2006-01-13
  • Posts: 11

Re: FAQ: Copyright

Q: May I remove the copyright from the page footer?

Yes, but please don't. If you must, please try to keep at least "Powered by PunBB" with the link to this site intact.

very kind of you guys to allow removing copyright on the forum.. makes me wana keep it more.. smile  well.. soon as i decide to take a leap into this new forum system .

anyway thanks for being so kind..

PunBB is cool
[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v642/clever_j/firefox-eatsIE.gif[/img]

brownchild's Website

22 Reply by Rador8

  • Registered: 2004-08-13
  • Posts: 77

Re: FAQ: Copyright

Hello,

I have a little suggestion for the copyright smile
I see "© Copyright 2002?2005 Rickard Andersson"... but we are in 2006.
Should it be a good idea tu use a php or javascript fonction writing automatically the actual year ?

  • From: Herts - UK
  • Registered: 2005-09-11
  • Posts: 842

Re: FAQ: Copyright

Rador8 wrote:

I see "© Copyright 2002?2005 Rickard Andersson"... but we are in 2006.

Already have asked this... PunBB has not released anything in 2006... 1.2.10 was released in 2005. 1.3 will have 2006 on it....  smile

Me: Blog | Twitter | TwitPic Exporter

StevenBullen's Website

24 Reply by Ludo

  • Ludo
  • Senior Member
  • Offline
  • From: France, Poitiers
  • Registered: 2004-06-23
  • Posts: 527

Re: FAQ: Copyright

if you want, you can modify the footer and put 2006.
Not really essential though... wink

Ludo,

Actualité haut débit en lien avec Free Adsl
Programme télé TNT

Ludo's Website

  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 5

Re: FAQ: Copyright

Rickard wrote:

Q: May I remove the copyright from the page footer?

Yes, but please don't. If you must, please try to keep at least "Powered by PunBB" with the link to this site intact.

A very liberal move that is seldom seen. Will keep that in mind in my selection of Forum

59ideas | whois.la | 0 to independence

59ideas's Website