[vlc-devel] Re: RFC: more suited copyright message

[Johann Ransay]

Why don't you ask for an advice to an intellectual property expert (at the 
French INPI for example) ?

Johann

On Thursday 07 July 2005 18:20, you wrote:
> 	Hello everyone,
>
> Most source code files in the VLC repository have a copyright mention
> that reads something like :
> "Copyright (C) xxxx-yyyy VideoLAN"
>
> Sometimes, it's also the VideoLAN team. I don't like this peremptory
> words because there is no such legal body as "VideoLAN". To make the
> situation worst, the VideoLAN trademark is not owned by us.
>
> "VideoLAN" can namely refer to 3 different groups :
>
> - The VideoLAN project is a student project at the ECP; it consists of a
> bunch of students and is renewed every year. While VLC has its roots
> there, it has been mostly developped by non-members and former members
> of that project since its release as an open-source software.
>
> - The VideoLAN club is part of French non-profit Centrale Réseaux
> ("VIA") and, as such, has its own bank account. In pratice, it consists
> of the same people as the VideoLAN project.
>
> - The VideoLAN community, with all developpers, translators, testers,
> etc, but this cannot be "well" defined.
>
> None of these is a legal entity anywhere, so I'm afraid none of these
> can legally own copyright (DISCLAIMER: IANAL) nor anything else that
> could be owned for that matter.
>
> It is my understanding that VLC (and other VideoLAN software) are
> actually and hence copyrighted, not by "VideoLAN" but by Centrale
> Réseaux, and/or its various individual contributors.
>
> So, I'd rather have copyright messages that read :
> "Copyright (C) xxxx-yyyy VideoLAN (Centrale Réseaux) and its
> contributors" or something like that. I note that usually have a list
> of authors in source files, which is good to give "contributors" a
> meaning. Such a message would be both more accurate and meaningful.
>
> If no one opposes the change, I'll probably sed all that. Anyone ?

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