Legal/Permission Question

[Gregor Richards]

Walter Bright wrote:
> Gregor Richards wrote:
>> Dan wrote:
>>> Hey Walter/anyone?
>>>
>>> Considering that my Walnut 2.x engine performs much the same 
>>> functionality as DMDScript, but that Walnut 2.x is written 
>>> significantly differently on a structural level...
>>>
>>> DMDScript is a GPL v1 engine, and Walnut 2.x is a new BSD engine.
>>>
>>> When I fill in the function stubs for, for example, 
>>> Number_prototype_toFixed, am I allowed to examine Walter's DMDScript 
>>> source code, write something similar (but obviously not the same) and 
>>> still call it new BSD?
>>>
>>> What requirements are there to do such a thing?
>>
>> This is one of many distinctions between copyright and patent.
>>
>> Copyright covers the RIGHT to COPY. NOTHING ELSE. Unless you signed a 
>> license or contract specifying that you can't use it as a reference, 
>> you can.
> 
> I believe this is incorrect. Copyrights also cover 'derivative works'. 
> See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derivative_work

"In copyright law, a derivative work is an artistic creation that 
includes major, basic copyrighted aspects of an original, previously 
created first work."

Including major copyrighted aspects of an original, previously created 
work is by definition copying. My very simple definition, while not very 
nuanced, is accurate :)

  - Gregor Richards