Ask HN: I wrote a Slack compatible server. Can I open source it?

#1

Post by sysk » Fri, May 22, 2015, 4:23 PM UTC

I had to implement a chat server for a project I'm working on and since I had never done this before, I used Slack's documentation as a roadmap and ended up re-implementing pretty much their whole API (I went a bit overboard I know).

I would like to open source this code but was wondering if it was legal for me to do so or would I be infringing on Slack's IP.

Re: Ask HN: I wrote a Slack compatible server. Can I open source it?

#2

Post by waffle_ss » Fri, May 22, 2015, 4:29 PM UTC

IANAL but I don't think API compatibility is infringement[1]. At least, I've seen projects that advertise this as a feature - for example, errbit[2] is API-compatible with Airbrake.

[1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Application_programming_interf...

[2]: https://github.com/errbit/errbit

Re: Ask HN: I wrote a Slack compatible server. Can I open source it?

#3

Post by kaolinite » Fri, May 22, 2015, 4:30 PM UTC

I'd do it, but keep the references to Slack to a minimum. So, don't call it "OpenSlack", for example. Just give it a nice name, mention that it's Slack API compatible and you should be fine. At most, I suspect they'll just C&D you and then you say sorry and take it down. I can't imagine you'll get in any trouble.

Not a lawyer though.

Re: Ask HN: I wrote a Slack compatible server. Can I open source it?

#4

Post by lmm » Fri, May 22, 2015, 4:30 PM UTC

APIs themselves aren't copyrightable, as we saw in Google's recent lawsuit. The documentation is though, so be sure you're not infringing on that.

Any license agreement you or your company have with Slack might "ban" you from doing this; you might e.g. lose your access. That will be a contractual matter between you and them though, not anything criminal.

IANAL; you should probably get actual legal advice.

Re: Ask HN: I wrote a Slack compatible server. Can I open source it?

#5

Post by jtokoph » Fri, May 22, 2015, 4:30 PM UTC

If you do open source it, don't use Slack in the name

Re: Ask HN: I wrote a Slack compatible server. Can I open source it?

#6

Post by Hello71 » Fri, May 22, 2015, 4:31 PM UTC

lmm wrote: post #4

APIs themselves aren't copyrightable, as we saw in Google's recent lawsuit. The documentation is though, so be sure you're not infringing on that. Any license agreement you or your company have with Slack might "ban" you from doing this; you might e.g. lose your access. That will be a contractual matter between you and them though, not anything criminal. IANAL; you should probably get actual legal advice.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oracle_America,_Inc._v._Google...

Re: Ask HN: I wrote a Slack compatible server. Can I open source it?

#7

Post by [deleted] » Fri, May 22, 2015, 4:32 PM UTC

[deleted]

Re: Ask HN: I wrote a Slack compatible server. Can I open source it?

#8

Post by desdiv » Fri, May 22, 2015, 4:38 PM UTC

lmm wrote: post #4

APIs themselves aren't copyrightable, as we saw in Google's recent lawsuit. The documentation is though, so be sure you're not infringing on that. Any license agreement you or your company have with Slack might "ban" you from doing this; you might e.g. lose your access. That will be a contractual matter between you and them though, not anything criminal. IANAL; you should probably get actual legal advice.

>APIs themselves aren't copyrightable, as we saw in Google's recent lawsuit.

The most recent ruling said that APIs, by themselves, are copyrightable[0].

The case is back to the district court now to determine whether the wholesale copying and reimplementation an API falls under the fair-use defense.

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oracle_America,_Inc._v._Google...

Re: Ask HN: I wrote a Slack compatible server. Can I open source it?

#9

Post by [deleted] » Fri, May 22, 2015, 4:41 PM UTC

desdiv wrote: post #8

lmm wrote: post #4

APIs themselves aren't copyrightable, as we saw in Google's recent lawsuit. The documentation is though, so be sure you're not infringing on that. Any license agreement you or your company have with Slack might "ban" you from doing this; you might e.g. lose your access. That will be a contractual matter between you and them though, not anything criminal. IANAL; you should probably get actual legal advice.

>APIs themselves aren't copyrightable, as we saw in Google's recent lawsuit. The most recent ruling said that APIs, by themselves, are copyrightable[0]. The case is back to the district court now to determine whether the wholesale copying and reimplementation an API falls under the fair-use defense. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oracle_America,_Inc._v._Google...

[deleted]

Re: Ask HN: I wrote a Slack compatible server. Can I open source it?

#10

Post by angersock » Fri, May 22, 2015, 4:47 PM UTC

desdiv wrote: post #8

lmm wrote: post #4

APIs themselves aren't copyrightable, as we saw in Google's recent lawsuit. The documentation is though, so be sure you're not infringing on that. Any license agreement you or your company have with Slack might "ban" you from doing this; you might e.g. lose your access. That will be a contractual matter between you and them though, not anything criminal. IANAL; you should probably get actual legal advice.

>APIs themselves aren't copyrightable, as we saw in Google's recent lawsuit. The most recent ruling said that APIs, by themselves, are copyrightable[0]. The case is back to the district court now to determine whether the wholesale copying and reimplementation an API falls under the fair-use defense. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oracle_America,_Inc._v._Google...

That's bloody depressing.