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Open source body quits GitHub, urges you to do the same

theregister.com

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Re: Open source body quits GitHub, urges you to do the same

#61

Post by dragonwriter »

formerly_proven wrote: post #40
chrismorgan wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People keep getting this wrong. Your license is irrelevant. Copilot depends entirely on being exempt from copyright restrictions (under fair use doctrine), and you cannot restrict this with any license, because they're not using that license. The only way you can stop them using your code so is to not share it with anyone. If they find your code (even via a leak!), they can legally use it, if their fair use claim is…

Copilot being fair use is what Microsoft claims (obviously), not an established fact. There is no precedent for this claim. (Nitpick: Fair use isn't an exemption from copyright, it's a defense for violating copyright)

> Nitpick: Fair use isn't an exemption from copyright, it's a defense for violating copyright)

Nitpick: Fair use is both a Constitutional and statutory (the latter codifying the former) limitation on the exclusive rights granted as part of copyright, so it's definitely an exception.

Procedurally, it operates as a defense, but that's not inconsistent with it being an exception.

Re: Open source body quits GitHub, urges you to do the same

#62

Post by bornfreddy »

pizza234 wrote: post #29
chriswarbo wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Moving repos between hosts is trivial; e.g. I keep bare clones on my laptop, on an AWS server, and GitHub; with post-receive hooks that keep them all in sync. GitHub's appeal is all the add-on functionality that's not actually stored in the git repo itself; e.g. Issues, Pull Requests, etc. That can't be migrated away easily. Anyone who (a) has concerns about GitHub (monoculture, Microsoft, Copilot, whatever), and (b)…

GitLab imports issues and pull requests, with some caveats: https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/user/project/import/github.html#p... .

GitLab UI is full of warts though. Since they are there for 5+ years I doubt they will be fixed soon. I am talking about little things - weird button-with-dropdown to start a comment/discussion on a MR, infuriating emojis (no I don't want to put a sign :man-kissing-a-man: just because I entered a smiley) and similar. It looks like either their devs are not using the product or any change is hampered by red tape.

Still, we use it, but try to use just core functionality (git, CI, issues, wiki) and avoid anything else. Always wanted to try gitea, maybe now it's the time.

Re: Open source body quits GitHub, urges you to do the same

#63

Post by code-license »

kelnos wrote: post #48
noisy_boy wrote: post #27

Maybe its time to have versions of various open source licenses that expressly prohibit such use. GPLv4?

GitHub appears to be relying on a fair-use defense for Copilot. So it doesn't matter what license you slap on the code; if they're correct that their use constitutes fair use, as long as they can see your code, they can use it.

Code pilot can offer code, but can the recipient use it. Some licenses are not compatible. When copilot offers code does it link to that codes license? https://zephyrtronium.github.io/articles/copilot.html

Re: Open source body quits GitHub, urges you to do the same

#64

Post by dementiapatien »

cookiengineer wrote: post #55
Comevius wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

https://codeberg.org/

Hosting your code where all the nazi/racist/sexist assholes from imageboards are doesn't make your project shine.

This website appears to be based in Europe, is that where all the imageboard trolls live?

Re: Open source body quits GitHub, urges you to do the same

#65

Post by kryptiskt »

The thing that worries me here is that supporters of free software wants to strengthen copyright. I would have thought that most were against IP in general or at least in favor of making it weaker. Is protecting your code against Copilot really worth giving this weapon to Disney?

Re: Open source body quits GitHub, urges you to do the same

#68

Post by sigmoid10 »

speedgoose wrote: post #7

Perhaps one should create an open-source alternative to GitHub copilot also trained on proprietary source code, such as some leaked Windows source-code, and everyone will be happy and appreciate that we can use fair-use to train such AIs.

Having seen parts of some leaked Windows source code, I'm not confident such a system would make it very far.

Re: Open source body quits GitHub, urges you to do the same

#69

Post by alpaca128 »

ShamelessC wrote: post #50
thruuavay wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If so, then the other edge of the sword may be sharp enough. Collect all bigco source code leaks and create a fancy Schmopilot model out of it. Publish said model on GitHub.

I suspect any such model will have weird biases that don't match public usage. Monolith code can be impressive, but it probably only happens outside the context window of Copilot.

The functionality doesn't matter. Such a project would exist to show Microsoft what it's like to be on the other end of their shady practices.

Re: Open source body quits GitHub, urges you to do the same

#70

Post by Kye »

kelnos wrote: post #46
blueflow wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Or don't license your code at all. Gives you great power with selective enforcement of IP rights.

In most jurisdictions, copyright is automatic. If you put no license on the code, the default is "all rights reserved"; that is, no one can do anything with it.

The fair use Microsoft thinks it has would still apply. Good luck going up against the lawyers who signed off on this.
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