Why is there an Oracle copyright in the middle of a Facebook javascript? • Hacker News Board

Re: Why is there an Oracle copyright in the middle of a Facebook javascript?

#41

Post by togasystems » Thu, Nov 18, 2010, 5:46 PM UTC

wh-uws wrote: post #24

geuis wrote: post #8

Skimmed through the js code after loading it into http://jsbeautifier.org . Looks like it may be used to load java applets. (edit) Looks like Facebook is using the Java RIA framework, http://download.oracle.com/javase/6/docs/technotes/guides/jw...

I remember they used to (and as far as I know still do) use a java applet to bulk upload pictures to photos. It lets you pick multiple pictures from a directory on your hard drive, rotate them if you need to, and then I believe it does some compression before finally loading them up

They used to have an applet by Augrima. I bought the same one. It works well and doesn't use flash.

Re: Why is there an Oracle copyright in the middle of a Facebook javascript?

#42

Post by nakkiel » Fri, Nov 19, 2010, 3:06 AM UTC

randallsquared wrote: post #37

nakkiel wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, you wouldn't want to release anything into the public domain and I don't believe any sane developer ever has. As far as license violations are concerned, this is not a problem solely limited to the BSD as there are oh so many cases for the GPL as well for example. In my experience, I'm much more keen to include a notice about the folk who wrote that piece of software than complying with the GPL (although I alwa…

Well, you wouldn't want to release anything into the public domain and I don't believe any sane developer ever has. D. Richard Hipp and everyone who has ever contributed to SQLite are insane, in your opinion? The public domain isn't a terrible choice when thinking about how and if to license your software, and is arguably the only incontestably ethical choice.

+1

I should have made clear that by 'sane' I meant anybody who cared about the responsibility that comes with intellectual property. Can't find the reference, it turns out that by releasing something in the public domain you give way for prosecution in case of bugs and other nasty use of your software.

Re: Why is there an Oracle copyright in the middle of a Facebook javascript?

#43

Post by nakkiel » Fri, Nov 19, 2010, 3:07 AM UTC

merijnv wrote: post #36

nakkiel wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, you wouldn't want to release anything into the public domain and I don't believe any sane developer ever has. As far as license violations are concerned, this is not a problem solely limited to the BSD as there are oh so many cases for the GPL as well for example. In my experience, I'm much more keen to include a notice about the folk who wrote that piece of software than complying with the GPL (although I alwa…

> If the software is under the GPL, you must publish your changes. This is only true if you distribute a binary of the patched code. If your patching on the server side there is no requirement to publish your patch (hence why the Affero GPL was invented, it closes this loophole).

In our case, the 'changes' would be installed on a customer's server in their office.

But you're actually totally right.

There's an interesting lawsuit (still ongoing AFAIK) involving Free, a French DSL provider. They distribute a router (those are referred to as Box in marketing terms in France) with interesting features and based on Linux. They also include many other FOSS.

It turns out they modified parts of those software (I have no idea which exactly) and are being prosecuted based on the fact that their devices, distributed to customers, include those modifications. They argue that they lend the Boxes to customers but those remain their property.

While arguing about the lawsuit with a fellow, I realized he had no idea about what the GPL actually contained.