Linux - GeneralThis Linux forum is for general Linux questions and discussion.
If it is Linux Related and doesn't seem to fit in any other forum then this is the place.
Notices
Welcome to LinuxQuestions.org, a friendly and active Linux Community.
You are currently viewing LQ as a guest. By joining our community you will have the ability to post topics, receive our newsletter, use the advanced search, subscribe to threads and access many other special features. Registration is quick, simple and absolutely free. Join our community today!
Note that registered members see fewer ads, and ContentLink is completely disabled once you log in.
If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us. If you need to reset your password, click here.
Having a problem logging in? Please visit this page to clear all LQ-related cookies.
Get a virtual cloud desktop with the Linux distro that you want in less than five minutes with Shells! With over 10 pre-installed distros to choose from, the worry-free installation life is here! Whether you are a digital nomad or just looking for flexibility, Shells can put your Linux machine on the device that you want to use.
Exclusive for LQ members, get up to 45% off per month. Click here for more info.
Recently, I have been thinking about donating code to the open source cause but I have no idea what I should do because I don't want my original code to end in the wrong hands and used for proprietary purposes.
This thread is for any suggestions from members of these forums who may have more experience than me in this regard.
The code I am talking about is an advanced expression evaluating class originally written in Delphi Pascal and then translated into C++.
As this has been extensively debugged and tested and I have created a graph-plotting calculator using it, I think, it will be a pity if I don't publish it, so that, others may benefit from the thousands of hours I spent writing and testing it.
I am writing this because I don't want a potential piece of work to be lost which is inevitable if I continue to procrastinate about this decision.
You will need to be able to show that the work is yours; that it's not "a work made for hire" and that you did not make it while employed by anyone else.
If you can show that, then I would recommend that you secure a copyright to it in your country, e.g. at http://www.copyright.gov it would cost about $35 bucks. Once the certificate comes in the mail, you're now free to do with "your property" anything that you like ... including give it away.
Now, the copyright office just registers your claim. They do not validate it. However, this is a legally definable declaration of claim that is internationally recognized, and it's something that I would definitely require from anyone who offered me anything. My butt, basically, is now covered: if someone sues, I can point to this certificate, which I kept a copy of and which anyone can look up, and truthfully assert an innocent-infringement defense. (Meanwhile, your butt is toast.)
You will need to be able to show that the work is yours; that it's not "a work made for hire" and that you did not make it while employed by anyone else.
If you can show that, then I would recommend that you secure a copyright to it in your country, e.g. at http://www.copyright.gov it would cost about $35 bucks. Once the certificate comes in the mail, you're now free to do with "your property" anything that you like ... including give it away.
Now, the copyright office just registers your claim. They do not validate it. However, this is a legally definable declaration of claim that is internationally recognized, and it's something that I would definitely require from anyone who offered me anything. My butt, basically, is now covered: if someone sues, I can point to this certificate, which I kept a copy of and which anyone can look up, and truthfully assert an innocent-infringement defense. (Meanwhile, your butt is toast.)
I am not a US citizen but an EU citizen. The code was written privately at home. Unfortunately, the idea of having to spend money to get a recognized proof that the code is mine, is a de-motivator.
Location: Northeastern Michigan, where Carhartt is a Designer Label
Distribution: Slackware 32- & 64-bit Stable
Posts: 3,541
Rep:
You don't necessarily need to copyright your code -- particularly if you're releasing it with Creative Commons or GPL licensing. You should look at both Creative Commons (http://creativecommons.org/) and GPL (http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html), read them carefully and decide if either or both fit your needs.
If I understand your intent to donate your work (which usually means "give it away"), you would want to do so with the provisions of the GPL or Creative Commons (not to sure about using both). You don't need to spend money to use either.
And, frankly, SoureForge is probably the best platform for the widest distribution.
LinuxQuestions.org is looking for people interested in writing
Editorials, Articles, Reviews, and more. If you'd like to contribute
content, let us know.