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| 1 | +# zf0 anti-copyright pledge, from zf0's third zine |
| 2 | + |
| 3 | + -- Introducing ZAP -- |
| 4 | + |
| 5 | + Have you ever been in a situation where you based your code |
| 6 | + off of another script, yet you didn't want to include its |
| 7 | + accompanying copyright notice? Then this is for you. |
| 8 | + |
| 9 | + In this case, you have three options: |
| 10 | + |
| 11 | + a) Include the notice, because you are lazy and legal. |
| 12 | + b) Rewrite your program from scratch, because you want |
| 13 | + your due creative recognition. |
| 14 | + c) Simply not include the copyright notice. |
| 15 | + |
| 16 | + These are also known as: |
| 17 | + |
| 18 | + a) The lame way. |
| 19 | + b) The ego way. |
| 20 | + c) The elite way! |
| 21 | + |
| 22 | + There are various reasons for choosing c. Perhaps you find |
| 23 | + that if you were to start your code fresh, it would be |
| 24 | + similar in expressions and control to the code you had |
| 25 | + before. Further, they would probably do the same thing in |
| 26 | + almost the same way. Doing so does not seem fair to you. |
| 27 | + |
| 28 | + Additionally, by including the GPL in your modified program |
| 29 | + you have essentially waved moral rights to the code. You |
| 30 | + have signed the code over, so to speak, and have willingly |
| 31 | + withdrawn your rights to it. |
| 32 | + |
| 33 | + You might feel a bit ripped off. Afterall, perhaps your |
| 34 | + code is a greater derivation, in both form and concept, |
| 35 | + from your source than that source is from its influences. |
| 36 | + |
| 37 | + A more practical reason exists: Perhaps you hate long, |
| 38 | + annoying comments from others in your tool, and heck, you |
| 39 | + are an evil hacker who isn't going to let copyright law |
| 40 | + alter your practices. |
| 41 | + |
| 42 | + The GPL is one example of a copyleft notice that seeks to |
| 43 | + limit some freedoms to ensure most freedoms. As nice as the |
| 44 | + GPL is, for any of the reasons above you may not wish to |
| 45 | + abide by its rules. The GPL is not full of loopholes: |
| 46 | + rather, every new version is like the next Terminator, only |
| 47 | + stronger. It's out to get you and you cannot stop it. I |
| 48 | + knocked a copy of the GPLv2 into molten steel; it came out |
| 49 | + squeaky clean. |
| 50 | + |
| 51 | + If you decide to basically violate the law and not include |
| 52 | + a copyright license, you may wish to offer some explanation |
| 53 | + for that choice. Thus, we present ZAP. |
| 54 | + |
| 55 | + ----------------------------------------------------------- |
| 56 | + | | |
| 57 | + | ZF0 Anti-copyright Pledge (ZAP) | |
| 58 | + | | |
| 59 | + | | |
| 60 | + | 1. This code may or may not be derived | |
| 61 | + | from one or multiple external sources | |
| 62 | + | with or without express permission. | |
| 63 | + | | |
| 64 | + | | |
| 65 | + | 2. We reject the general universal applicability | |
| 66 | + | of software copyrights to all cases based on | |
| 67 | + | any combination of the following: | |
| 68 | + | | |
| 69 | + | a) The vagueness of the Agreement on Trade | |
| 70 | + | -Related Aspects of Intellectual Property | |
| 71 | + | Rights in the area of software rights. | |
| 72 | + | b) The lack of cohesion of different | |
| 73 | + | national copyright legislation. | |
| 74 | + | c) The lack of originality in software and | |
| 75 | + | the lack of establishment of originality. | |
| 76 | + | d) Further personal opinions. | |
| 77 | + | | |
| 78 | + | | |
| 79 | + | 3. We reject the assumed right of verbatim | |
| 80 | + | copyright control over all revision. | |
| 81 | + | | |
| 82 | + | a) Particularly in free software, a copyright | |
| 83 | + | serves as recognition and little else. | |
| 84 | + | b) We will extend recognition as we | |
| 85 | + | feel it is deserved, and not less. | |
| 86 | + | | |
| 87 | + | | |
| 88 | + | 4. This statement does not attempt to | |
| 89 | + | serve as a legally binding document. | |
| 90 | + | | |
| 91 | + | a) This notice is an explanation, not a limitation. | |
| 92 | + | b) These are terms of release, | |
| 93 | + | not conditions of use | |
| 94 | + | c) This software is thus provided as-is | |
| 95 | + | without any guarantees or warranties. | |
| 96 | + | | |
| 97 | + ----------------------------------------------------------- |
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