Screenshot Licensing

[Milian Wolff]

On Thursday 20 October 2011 06:42:00 Mark Knecht wrote:
> On Thu, Oct 20, 2011 at 12:04 AM, Andreas Pakulat <apaku at gmx.de> wrote:
> > On 19.10.11 19:37:49, Chris Bruner wrote:
> >> >>Since I doubt they have anything against it, go ahead in using it and
> >> >>expect it to be in public domain.
> >> >
> >> >This is actually not ok. You need a written permit of the creator of an
> >> >image to give Rohan an ok or not and to change the licensing. Don't we
> >> >have a licensing/legal group in KDE that can comment on these things?
> >> >
> >> >Andreas
> >> 
> >> By that logic, the person doing the screen shot is the author, in
> >> the same way as the person who compile some code is the author. The
> >> compiled code is produced by the compiler, but originated from the
> >> act of typing in text. The screen shot is produced by the windowing
> >> system but originated from the act of typing prtscrn (or however it
> >> is done).
> >> Just a thought, although IANAL
> > 
> > Well, sure the pure act of taking a screenshot is probably nothing that
> > one can claim a copyright on. But what about the specific assembling of
> > widgets, texts etc. visible in the screenshot? Maybe that part is
> > copyrightable, but as you said IANAL.
> > 
> > Hence, check with someone who does know and I believe KDE has such
> > people.
> > 
> > Andreas
> 
> IANAL, but if a program is released under some form of GPL then it
> gives the user the right to use the program for any purpose they want,
> doesn't it? I don't see why that couldn't include writing a book and
> including screenshots to explain the sue of the program, but again,
> IANAL.
> 
> Is it really an issue of 'Public Domain' or is it an issue of what
> license the program is released under and what that license allows?

If Rohan had created the screenshot himself there would of course be no 
issues. The thing is he was apparently too lazy to do it himself and/or wanted 
to reuse the existing screenshot. Since the author of that one is unclear, we 
don't know the licensing.

bye
-- 
Milian Wolff
mail at milianw.de
http://milianw.de