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Public Domain in the middle

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Dramatis Personae: Dramatis Personae:
- * Alice: An employee at HugeCo Software.+ 
- * Bob: The author of a GPL'd alternative to HugeCo's main product.+; Alice: An employee at HugeCo Software.
- * Carol: A programmer with need for both tools.+; Bob: The author of a GPL'd alternative to HugeCo's main product.
- * David: A non-programmer with need for both tools.+; Carol: A programmer with need for both tools.
 +; David: A non-programmer with need for both tools.
Carol writes an interface between Bob's software and Alice's software. Can it be entered into the Public Domain? Carol writes an interface between Bob's software and Alice's software. Can it be entered into the Public Domain?
Can David then use the interface, or would this distribution violate Bob's copyright? Would it violate Alice's copyright? Can David then use the interface, or would this distribution violate Bob's copyright? Would it violate Alice's copyright?
-Can Alice write the interface herself and distribute it under the GPL?+; Can Alice write the interface herself and distribute it under the GPL?: I would say no, since it requires her proprietary software, it is GPL incompatable.
- * I would say no, since it requires her proprietary software, it is GPL incompatable.+
Can Alice write the interface herself and enter it into the public domain? Can Alice then distribute the interface? Can Alice write the interface herself and enter it into the public domain? Can Alice then distribute the interface?

Revision as of 03:29, 4 November 2006

Dramatis Personae:

Alice
An employee at HugeCo Software.
Bob
The author of a GPL'd alternative to HugeCo's main product.
Carol
A programmer with need for both tools.
David
A non-programmer with need for both tools.

Carol writes an interface between Bob's software and Alice's software. Can it be entered into the Public Domain? Can David then use the interface, or would this distribution violate Bob's copyright? Would it violate Alice's copyright?

Can Alice write the interface herself and distribute it under the GPL?
I would say no, since it requires her proprietary software, it is GPL incompatable.

Can Alice write the interface herself and enter it into the public domain? Can Alice then distribute the interface?