Date:	Sat, 15 Nov 1997 10:47:46 -0700 (MST)
From:	firewind <firewind AT metroid DOT dyn DOT ml DOT org>
To:	Peter Palotas <blizzar AT hem1 DOT passagen DOT se>
cc:	djgpp AT delorie DOT com
Subject:	Re: rand() or random()
In-Reply-To:	<3.0.16.19971115153514.197f7900@hem1.passagen.se>
Message-ID:	<Pine.LNX.3.95.971115103829.137A-100000@metroid.dyn.ml.org>
MIME-Version:	1.0

On Sat, 15 Nov 1997, Peter Palotas wrote:

> [I wrote: ]
> >And it is. Of course, you, Richard Stallman, and the Regents of the 
> >University of California can argue as long as you want over the definition
> >of freedom.
> >
> >Personally, I don't think it's a -horribly- terrible thing to put:
> >
> >"This program includes code copyrighted by the Regents of the University
> >of California." 
> >
> >in the 'Acknowledgments' section (you -do- have one, right?) of your 
> >documentation. (BTW, I'm no lawyer either, so I don't know if that quite
> >fits the bill.)
> >
> >If you want to be free of this restriction, use rand() or write your own
> >RNG! UCB has the right to copyright their code however they like, and no
> >one is forcing you to use this code if you don't like its copyright.
> 
> Well, that's not the point. I can't remember reading this anywhere when
> downloading DJGPP.  Is random() the only funciton with this restriction, or
> are there others?

There is other code in DJGPP's library copyrighted by UCB, at least.

> Ofcourse, if I would make a commercial product and use random() I find it
> hard to believe that anyone could/would ever prove that I used that
> function and sue me because of it, 

If you made a commercial product, I would hope you would use some other,
superior RNG, or at -least- be honest enough to mention your sources..!

> but a copyright should be followed
> anyway I think.  

Most definetly.

> So maybe it would be a good idea to mention what
> copyrights concerns what functions in libc here, since there doesn't seem
> to be ONE copyright on the entire libc!

True... the fact that some code is copyrighted by UCB -is- mentioned in
some places, but perhaps it need be prominently said that this means if
you use such code, you must say so in your documentation... perhaps, if
you don't have time to go through the libc sources and see which functions
are copyrighted by whom, you might add some standard disclaimer like:

"This program uses the DJGPP standard C library, and therefore might
include code copyrighted by the Regents of the University of California."

[-                               firewind                                   -]
[-   email: firewind AT metroid DOT dyn DOT ml DOT org (home), firewind AT aurdev DOT com (work)  -]
[-          "You're just jealous because the voices talk to -me-."          -]
[-                   Have a good day, and enjoy your C.		            -]
[-          (on a crusade of grumpiness where grumpiness is due)            -]

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