Re: Identify auto tick locations

[Francesco Potorti`]

>| If that is the problem, one just needs to rewrite the code, for example
>| by vectorising it instead of using elseif statements.  Writing code that
>| works like someone else's (copying the algorithm) but that is written in
>| a  different way is not copyright infringement.
>
>You are a lawyer and you are sure about this?  I think it would be
>questionable whether this is OK.

I am reasonably sure, yes, but I am not a lawyer.  However, that's where
copyright is different from patents and why we can have compatible code.
If it is not copying nor modifying, but reimplementing, it does not
infringe copyright.

Anyway, if you want to be really sure, the proven foolproof way is to
describe what the algorithm should do in human words to someone who has
never seen the original code and have that person implement it.  That's
the way Phoenix implemented the first compatible BIOS and a recognised
correct way to do it.

Moreover, for a piece of code that small, it is even questionable if it
is worth worrying about copyright infringement at all.  For example, the
Emacs team requests copyright assignments only if code exceeds 10-20
lines of original code (not comments, blank lines or repeated snippets).

-- 
Francesco Potortì (ricercatore)        Voice: +39 050 315 3058 (op.2111)
ISTI - Area della ricerca CNR          Fax:   +39 050 315 2040
via G. Moruzzi 1, I-56124 Pisa         Email: address@hidden
Web: http://fly.isti.cnr.it/           Key:   fly.isti.cnr.it/public.key