OT - Closing Off An Open-Source Product

[Bob Kline]

On Wed, 11 Apr 2001, Lulu of the Lotus-Eaters wrote:

> |1.3 In particular, if I take a public domain work, and the only change I
> |make to it is to add my copyright notice, I have obtained a copyright on
> |absolutely nothing.
> 
> On the other hand, if I take a public domain work, change one line, or
> one word, or one character, then slap a copyright notice on it, I have a
> legitimate copyright on the derived work.  Someone is free to do what
> they want with the original (is they find it); but they do not have the
> right to use my derived work unless they are licensed to do so.

This is not correct.  If your contribution is sufficiently insubstantial
("de minimis" in the words of the case law) you will not have a
legitimate copyright on the derived work.  Your examples fit this
category of unacceptable claim.

-- 
Bob Kline
mailto:bkline at rksystems.com
http://www.rksystems.com