Quick Copyright Question

Quick Copyright Question

by Jeff Rahman -
Number of replies: 11
Hello,

I'm finishing up a module that borrowed heavily from the "Moodle Quiz" code. When I put the copyright info in the doc block in each file what is the appropriate way to word this? That is, do I just copyright it under my name and it is understood that I reused code, or do I need to use some wordage after my name to make it appropriate. For example:

/**
 * Lists all instances of mymod for a particular course.
 *
 * @package mod_mymod
 * @copyright 2010 Jeff Rahman and ???
 * @license http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html GNU GPL v3 or later
 */
Thanks for the advice.


Jeff
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In reply to Jeff Rahman

Re: Quick Copyright Question

by Tim Hunt -
Picture of Core developers Picture of Documentation writers Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Peer reviewers Picture of Plugin developers
The copyright of every bit of code belongs to the person who wrote it. The only way to disentangle that is by careful digging through CVS history.

The copyright notice at the top of each file is really just there to give partial information quickly to anyone browsing, and to remind people that the copyright belongs to someone, and the code is licensed under the GPL.

Practically speaking, the rule for maintaining these comments is:

1. if you create a completely new PHP file from scratch, put your name, and the current year at the top.

2. If you modify an existing file, don't change the copyright notice.

2b. If you take an existing plugin, rename it, and then start changing things, don't change the copyright notice of the copied files.

1b. If you copy bits existing Moodle code into a new file you created, you don't need to change the copyright at the top of the file.

2c. Lots of old files in Moodle don't have the right notices at the top. In that case, if you can be bothered, look back through CVS history and add a comment in the right form with the right name and year.

At least, that is the rules I follow when working on Moodle code.
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In reply to Tim Hunt

Re: Quick Copyright Question

by Max Wild -
I notice Wrexham Council has adopted Moodle so I was interested to see their site.
Should I be surprised that apart from the browser tab the Moodle name has been removed and they claim copyright.
The same thing has append in Stockport (http://elearning.stockport.gov.uk/course/category.php?id=23) . Stockport do not even seem to have registered their site.
Moodle is brilliant software for schools and I hope that there isn't a trend to some how disguise the fact that it is being used.
Is this an unnecessary worry?
Max Wild
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In reply to Max Wild

Re: Quick Copyright Question

by Mary Cooch -
Picture of Documentation writers Picture of Moodle HQ Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Testers Picture of Translators
Hi there. I think it's ok to remove the Moodle logo or word Moodle, and you're not obliged to register your site. Where I am (Preston) Lancs and Cumbria schools are hosted by CLEO and they use the word Moodle http://vle.cleo.net.uk/ but without the logo at the bottom but with a copyright notice - the "copyright" claim you are referring to I can only presume relates to the theme - Synergy (a moodle partner) will have created the themes for both CLEO and Wrexham and maybe the copyright refers to that? I agree though that it's a pity if sites try to disguise the fact that they are Moodles because - as you say - Moodle is such fantastic free open source software.
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In reply to Mary Cooch

Re: Quick Copyright Question

by Max Wild -
It would be interesting to hear the views of both Martin Dougiamas, who I see as the representative of the real holders of the copyright, and Synergy Learning on this matter. You are right, probably the theme is the subject of the claim but there ought to be a better way of expressing it.
I have watched CLEO over the years and have been very impressed with the way it is organised and it is an example to all. It also splatters the use of Moodle all over the front page so we are in no doubt, although I agree the Moodle logo is missing except on the browser tab.
I think that in the case of all 3 (CLEO, Wrexham and Stockport) and probably others they should be encouraged to 'buy into' the Moodle community as that is the essence of what Moodle is about.
Regards
Max Wild


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In reply to Max Wild

Re: Quick Copyright Question

by Mary Cooch -
Picture of Documentation writers Picture of Moodle HQ Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Testers Picture of Translators
I'm not sure what you  mean  by "buy into the Moodle community" - I can't speak for Wrxham or Stockport but I think CLEO have contributed back into Moodle a number of addinas/modules over the years - that must count surely. (This is the kind of discussion that would fit nicely in the Lounge by the way ;) )
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In reply to Mary Cooch

Re: Quick Copyright Question

by Max Wild -
Sorry if I have not made my self clear. I have always been very impressed by CLEO and I think that it is an example to all. Of course, it is obviously a Moodle site with many references to Moodle. The other two are far less obvious.
I wonder if guidance does exist on the use of the word copyright?

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In reply to Max Wild

Re: Quick Copyright Question

by sam marshall -
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We don't use the word 'Moodle' anywhere on our site (well, probably it is in a few obscure places we didn't bother changing). Students have enough trouble understanding systems already without us throwing around confusing names they've never heard of. Our system is referred to as 'Course websites'.

It's not exactly a secret that the OU uses Moodle though - there were press releases and everything...

Because Moodle is released under GPL, anyone is entitled to change the software in any way they want for their own use - that certainly includes hiding the name. In fact, there will be more legal restrictions if you actually do keep the 'Moodle' branding, because Moodle is a registered trademark. (Kind of like how Debian renamed Firefox to Iceweasel or whatever it was for their distribution.)

--sam
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In reply to Mary Cooch

Re: Quick Copyright Question

by Dale Davies -
I hear what you are saying, but I found that refering to our VLE as "Moodle" really confused things. We used to call it Moodle, but "Moodle" as a word means very little to most people. Of course I know it stands for "Modular Object Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment" (or something of that ilk), but mention this to most teachers and you can see their eyes glaze over!

I make every attempt to promote Moodle and always try to participate in Moodle forums and local user groups where time will allow, helping others in the community if I can. However, moving away from calling our site "Moodle" and calling it the "Student Intranet & VLE" has really helped us promote its use within the college, because this means more to our users and is more descriptive of the sites purpose.

That said, it would be nice to have some oficial guidelines for how exactly we should place that copyright symbol at the bottom of the site, I wouldnt want to fall foul of any laws or annoy the very people that have given us the great software to set our VLE up in the first place.
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In reply to Dale Davies

Re: Quick Copyright Question

by Max Wild -
I agree but we, at Manchester High School for Girls, refer to our Intranet (used by students and parents) as Moodle. We find that everybody has come to accept it as a very user friendly descriptor and I am known as the 'Moodleman'. It is so easy to use that 'Moodle' is very quickly understood for what it is rather than what it stands for and is less intimidating than 'Virtual Learning Environment'.
I seem to think that there has been guidance on the copyright issue but I have just looked and cannot find anything. I agree it would be useful to have something.
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In reply to Max Wild

Re: Quick Copyright Question

by Tim Hunt -
Picture of Core developers Picture of Documentation writers Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Peer reviewers Picture of Plugin developers
Here is another example to think about:

If you write a document in Microsoft word, who does that document belong to, you or Microsoft?

Obviously, the content of the document is copyright you.

Similarly, although the Moodle code is copyright, and you can use it under the GPL, that does not affect the copyright of content in your Moodle.

Of course your question goes beyond that, and other people have answered other aspects of it. If you have never done so, you may find reading the FAQs at the Free Software Foundation helpful.
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