Specifically about Copyright
I promise this is like literally the last time I talk about this. I finally got EVERYTHING clear in my head about this. After the previous post Carthik said,
GPL is a license, and only that. The author or designer of the things you mentioned do have the copyright, and they preserve it.
GPL is the license they release their work under, so anyone can use their copy-righted work in the manner specified in the license.
The difference is subtle, but important - since they have the copyright, they will always be identified as the rightful creators of their work.
Curious, does it matter who has the copyright. It’s a pretty worthless thing, so I started thinking and talking about it again. I couldn’t get this little thing out of my head. After all I’ve put a copyright in the Manji CSS code, but I only did that because I was following the GPL instructions to a ‘T’ when I released the theme. Turns out that line is (where I put my name and together with the GPL license) the only things you’re not allowed to remove from the code. These lines won’t bloat the actual file size and don’t effect the SOFTWARE in any way.
You see if I said you’re not allowed to take of a link within the template back to this site, the WHOLE software is no longer FREE (in the sense of complete freedom). It’s a line of code you’re not allowed to touch. That goes against the GPL license. The code is meant to be editable in every way.
How do I the creator retain the credit? With the inclusion of my copyright credit line in the comments. Found this directly from the GPL license FAQ.
Yeah ok, but what happens when I modify your code? Aha, very simple, YOU retain your copyright to the CHANGES you’ve made. You just add your copyright credit after my copyright credit and you’re away.
There’s nothing immoral, at least from my point of view, about removing the CODE that retains to my name and a link back to this website. However it is immoral and wrong if you remove my copyright line and the GPL license. And that my friends is GPL for templates. I’ve put a link in there as part of the core code. You have EVERY right to remove it and modify it in any way. If the original creator wanted to retain that one line of code in there, then a creative commons license should have been applied.
Some people might choose NOT to include that copyright line. I suspect that is the case with B2 and wordpress, because Matt hasn’t included Micheal V’s copyright in there, and neither does Matt have a copyright there either, at least I can’t find any.
