AudioMatt

I know this is a hot issue. I want to protect the concepts and algorithms involved in a patch of mine. I still want to give it away for free and open source it. But what I fear is someone large like roland just ripping it off entirely and not giving me any credit.

Anyone ever go through the process of protecting themselves against something like this?

I know this is a hot issue.  I want to protect the concepts and algorithms involved in a patch of mine.  I still want to give it away for free and open source it.  But what I fear is someone large like roland just ripping it off entirely and not giving me any credit.

Anyone ever go through the process of protecting themselves against something like this?


protecting-software

Maybe you want to look into something like patent law? (of course, there is no form of obfuscation which can allow for open-source while protecting your work from this...) If you apply the proper form of licensing, then legally speaking your work is at least 'officially' protected. Still... I hate to burst any bubbles, but if any 'big' company ever wanted to do such a thing, believe me, they would have better lawyers than you'll ever have to find and exploit the proper legal loophole without any risk to them. (There is really nothing you can do.)

I'm well aware. I'm not having delusions of grandeur here. I just figure taking a tiny bit of precaution would be smart.

as for the source code, nobody will ever feel like sifting through that mess

I'm well aware.  I'm not having delusions of grandeur here.  I just figure taking a tiny bit of precaution  would be smart.

as for the source code, nobody will ever feel like sifting through that mess


Hello AudioMatt - I have very little to say on this but you make such great patches that I would love to see them - there are licenses available for software that might suit - I agree with you that it is important when doing something of value to release with a license of somekind - this makes it clear what is allowable by third parties and what responsibility you have.

http://www.iusmentis.com/computerprograms/licenses/choosing/

http://www.gnu.org/licenses/license-recommendations.html

Hello AudioMatt - I have very little to say on this but you make such great patches that I would love to see them - there are licenses available for software that might suit - I agree with you that it is important when doing something of value to release with a license of somekind - this makes it clear what is allowable by third parties and what responsibility you have. 

http://www.iusmentis.com/computerprograms/licenses/choosing/
http://www.gnu.org/licenses/license-recommendations.html

I think that patents are your only hope here, and even then, the power imbalance between you and someone like Roland means that they can still probably steamroller you.

Steamroller is a lovely word, a concept frozen in language, from a brief period where steam was the motive force of the day.

when you want to copyprotect something while making it open source it should take a while until you find a solution. maybe it is easier to do either this or that. ;)

Yeah that seems ad odds with each other. Either protect it, or open source it, as if you do the former, you're not doing the latter.

Good points. You can tell how much I know about this stuff :) I guess I was thinking about the non-commercial use part of creative commons.... I might just post it here on the list and forget about the whole thing.

Good points.  You can tell how much I know about this stuff :)  I guess I was thinking about the non-commercial use part of creative commons....  I might just post it here on the list and forget about the whole thing.


"Steamroller is a lovely word, a concept frozen in language, from a brief period where steam was the motive force of the day."

HAHA! (that made my day... sometimes it doesn't take much :D )

"I might just post it here on the list and forget about the whole thing."

ya, and archive it on your own site, too, of course. for most of us, nothing we do really gets noticed until we've already moved on, so just put it up somewhere, keep it up, and having put it out there, move on.

and i'm only meaning that to give encouragement.

(and 3 cheers for any open-source-leaning decisions you make ;)

ya, and archive it on your own site, too, of course. for most of us, nothing we do really gets noticed until we've already moved on, so just put it up somewhere, keep it up, and having put it out there, move on.
and i'm only meaning that to give encouragement.
(and 3 cheers for any open-source-leaning decisions you make ;)


there is something out already which replaced steam???

Protecting Software