I've just read the GPL and I'm wondering:
when you modify the source code of a GPL licensed application (or script), and release it (of course under the GPL), are you obliged to list all the copyright notices of the previous author(s).

"I've just read the GPL and I'm wondering:
when you modify the source code of a GPL licensed application (or script), and release it (of course under the GPL), are you obliged to list all the copyright notices of the previous author(s)."

It is common courtesy to list the names of everybody who has made contributions to the code. As to copyright notices of the previous authors, I am not sure what you mean. Put the GPL at the beginning of the code and put a list of authors, including your name, at the bottom of the code and that should suffice.

Also you should consider contributing your additions to whoever is maintaining the original code to avoid forking the program.

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Steve Stites

It's just a question, I'm no currently changing any code.
By previous authors I meant, for example, a programmer who stopped caring for a program,
and you use his code to keep it up to date. Should there be something like:

# Copyright (c) 2005 Me <me AT gmail DOT com>
# Copyright (c) 1999 Other Programmer

yes