Lpc2000

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Tom Walsh" <tom@...>
To: <lpc2000@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, January 17, 2006 4:50 PM
Subject: Re: [lpc2000] LPC2103 in IAR EWARM


> Paul Curtis wrote:
>
>>Tom,
>>
>>
>>
>>>>With respect - if they are not distributing them yet -
>>>>
>>>>
>>>neither should you.
>>>
>>>
>>>>I presume they are copyrighted?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>Probably patented too...  Seems that a number of people slap a
>>>boilerplate copyright header into everything they do, even
>>>trivial code,
>>>or stuff that isn't theirs.  e.g. header files describing register
>>>locations and bit values / name.  In the case of the header
>>>files, they
>>>are using the exact verbage as Philips.
>>>
>>>Now how can you justify asserting that you have a copywrite
>>>on something
>>>that isn't yours???  Apparently Microsoft is not the only one to use
>>>Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt?!
>>>
>>>
>>
>>All our header files are generated from XML descriptions and those are
>>also used in the debugger and build system.  As to copyright, the person
>>who typed in the names does it for the company they are working for and,
>>as such, it is part of their job to ensure that even trivial things are
>>copyrighted.  Given the large number of registers that some ARM chips
>>have, this is not a trivial task.  Hence, a copyright is an essential
>>part of software and product development to ensure that a competitor
>>does not simply steal your work.
>>
>>
>>
> Well, apparently you went to a different school than I did.  Copyright
> can only be asserted on an original work, simply reformatting an
> existing work does not automagically create a copyright.  Nor does
> "sweat" justify assigning a copyright.  Respectfully, it is my opinion
> that you spend some time looking into copyright practice.

FWIW, it used to be the case that anything written in the UK was 
automatically copyright. I'm not sure if it still applies, though.

Leon