Toolbox A2. Friendly interface for many plugins.

thomthom

@jql said:

@thomthom said:

This line seemed to be to indicate it was embedding:

@dem said:

It may be necessary to agree on distribution rights for plug-ins.

That did cross my mind but I didn't think anyone would try such a thing as to redistribute plugins for their authors.

There's been a few cases of this already - some initiated that without asking the authors first as well. "Plugin Bundles" pop up now and then. Intentions are usually good - but in the long run it's a big support burden.

glro

then what about this text included in the lines of code?

"Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software for
any purpose and without fee is hereby granted, provided that the above
copyright notice appear in all copies"?

driven

@glro said:

then what about this text included in the lines of code?

"Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software for
any purpose and without fee is hereby granted, provided that the above
copyright notice appear in all copies"?

that basically allows you to copy, modify, distribute your own version of a script...
but, you should only do so if you can also maintain it without burdening the original author with problems...
john

glro

@driven said:

@glro said:

then what about this text included in the lines of code?

"Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software for
any purpose and without fee is hereby granted, provided that the above
copyright notice appear in all copies"?

that basically allows you to copy, modify, distribute your own version of a script...
but, you should only do so if you can also maintain it without burdening the original author with problems...
john

OK, i understand

and this text: "Copyright 2009, ...All Rights Reserved"
doesn't allow you to copy, modify, nor distribute your own version of a script, i suppose

so there is no question:

if the plugins included in the toolbox don't have copyright
dem should be able to maintain if asked, since he wrote this toolbox plugin

or is there another limitation?

driven

@glro said:

if the plugins included in the toolbox don't have copyright

this ones different, if they don't have copyright [at all] it's interpreted as all rights reserved in European Union law...
they need to give their copyright away to be completely safe...
for example, if I wrote 3 plugins, with 3 versions of copyright, 1: none, 2: give-away, 3: reserved...
if Trimble used all three, I could pursue them for 1 and 3 but not 2

@unknownuser said:

dem should be able to maintain if asked, since he wrote this toolbox plugin

that requires knowing how they all work, big job...

@unknownuser said:

or is there another limitation?

some people will install the 'original' + the 'Toolbar version' and maybe even a third, different 'Toolbar Version'
unless these are all rewritten to separate them then it can cause very hard to find bugs...
most will complain to the original author...
john

glro

@driven said:

@glro said:

if the plugins included in the toolbox don't have copyright

this ones different, if they don't have copyright [at all] it's interpreted as all rights reserved in European Union law...
they need to give their copyright away to be completely safe...
for example, if I wrote 3 plugins, with 3 versions of copyright, 1: none, 2: give-away, 3: reserved...
if Trimble used all three, I could pursue them for 1 and 3 but not 2

@unknownuser said:

dem should be able to maintain if asked, since he wrote this toolbox plugin

that requires knowing how they all work, big job...

@unknownuser said:

or is there another limitation?

some people will install the 'original' + the 'Toolbar version' and maybe even a third, different 'Toolbar Version'
unless these are all rewritten to separate them then it can cause very hard to find bugs...
most will complain to the original author...
john

thank you for taking the time to explain

so no mention of copyright is the same as a mention of copyright, in EU... good to know

so as i understand, unless it is clearly mentioned by a line at the beginning of the code, you should not distribute plugins

fredo6

Dem

My plugins and many plugins posted in SCF have a Free usage but require the consent of the author for redistribution. Here is the header in the source code of my scripts:

# Permission to use this software for any purpose and without fee is hereby granted
# Distribution of this software for commercial purpose is subject to;
#  - the expressed, written consent of the author
#  - the inclusion of the present copyright notice in all copies.

Anyway, for your toolbar, the real issue for me would be that you embed the scripts, mainly for the issue of maintenance highlighted by thomthom. It is better than there is one source for the plugins and that your toolbar just refer to the commands.

I would suggest that you display all icons as you designed it, but for plugins which are not present on the user computer, you display a message:

either indicating that installation is required
or proposing to install it, which you can do with the API to the SCF plugin store.

With this approach, you let the user decide while being informed, and he can take care of the upgrades of each plugin when required.

I will publish progressively a simple API to my plugins as some are not obvious to be launched from another script.

Fredo

thomthom

Even if there is no explicit copyright notice the content cannot be freely distributed. The author/creator is still the lawful owner of the product. One isn't required to explicitly claim copyright as this is automatic - implicit.

deaneau

in the german law we have a intellectual property, too.

if you will safe all rights you must go the way via Patent Office.

Patents registered only for Europe isn´t save in U.S.A. in this case you must have an european and american patent. the safest way is a world wide patent.
In Europe we have a special Patent, too. This Patent will safe your rights only in Countries,
For example:My residence is Germany. now i can safe my rights only for Germany. I can safe my rights for France, Spain etc. too. this patent is than safe only in this countries.

http://www.patent-page.com/patent-geb%C3%BChren-jahresgeb%C3%BChr-anmeldegeb%C3%BChr
(german text)

the same page translated via google translator

Google Translate

(translate.google.de)

normally (german Law) you dont must write Copyright protected. in Germany is all what your own ( intellectual property). However its difficult to tell the judge/jurist.. i was the first that have had this idea´etc.

patents is the best solution, if you will safe all rights.

this apply to names of companies, corporate identity etc.,too.

difficult would be, if 2 photographer make a photo from the same situation in the same moment.
here i would say, the time stamp in the EXIF is important.

Edit: Sometimes have peoples the same idea in the same time. look in the history and you will find any examples.
in this case is the best solution to arrange with an other or find a solution that will good for both. an insurmountable obstacle is only profit

fredo6

In the case of the Toolbox A2, that's not so much a matter of copyright protection than a question of maintenance and support of the scripts.

So reference OK, embedding NO.

Fredo