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Date:      20 Jun 2001 21:40:36 +0200
From:      Dag-Erling Smorgrav <des@ofug.org>
To:        "Jeremy C. Reed" <reed@reedmedia.net>
Cc:        freebsd-chat@FreeBSD.ORG
Subject:   Re: public domain vs. copyright, license, disclaimer
Message-ID:  <xzpofrjym6j.fsf@flood.ping.uio.no>
In-Reply-To: <Pine.LNX.4.21.0106201224540.18472-100000@pilchuck.reedmedia.net>
References:  <Pine.LNX.4.21.0106201224540.18472-100000@pilchuck.reedmedia.net>

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"Jeremy C. Reed" <reed@reedmedia.net> writes:
> I am interested in hearing opinions, ideas and references on why using a
> BSD-type license is better (or not better) than simply releasing code as
> "public domain".

In the US - at least in some states - you may be liable for damages
unless you explicitly disclaim any and all responsibility for the
consequences of using your software.  The disclaimer (the stuff in
capital letters in the license) protects you against that.  The rest
of the license basically says that anyone can do whatever they want
with the code, as long as they don't lie about who did it (i.e. they
can't say they wrote it themselves, and they can't use your name to
advertise for derivated software).  In other words, the license is
there to protect you more than anything else, and it probably wouldn't
be wise to use a shorter license without consulting an attorney first.

Disclaimer: IANAL; consider this hearsay.

DES
-- 
Dag-Erling Smorgrav - des@ofug.org

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