Questions tagged [software]
For questions involving programming underlying computers and machines. Consider using the [open-source-software] tag if the question is about open source software or licensing.
533
questions
0
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1answer
62 views
Why can an open source program use closed source file formats?
I have been wondered following: Excel and Word are closed source product. But still, Libreoffice can write Excel and Word documents, at least to some extent. Is it true that it is not criminal to ...
0
votes
1answer
41 views
LGPL for closed source software?
Is there any license that behaves like LGPL as in permitting the user/customer of the software to use/and change the software as they want, but has the following properties:
Does not allow to open ...
0
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0answers
23 views
Do you need to cite the author when using public domain material?
I understand it is illegal in most places to claim public domain works as your own.
Say you use a small snippet of public domain code written by John Smith in your software. Having written virtually ...
1
vote
1answer
27 views
Agreement for voluntary contribution on a non-open source project
I'm the owner of a free, but non-open source, Android app. I have received many offers by my users to voluntarily contribute by translating the app in other languages.
What does this mean by a legal ...
2
votes
1answer
49 views
Who are the copyright holders of softwares that students develop during their studies?
The outputs of a software developed from scratch by a student during his/her studies are used in writing his/her thesis. Can the student's supervisor or the University claim to be a copyright holder ...
4
votes
3answers
198 views
Do I have a “legitimate interest” under GDPR to not delete data my software needs to fulfil its function?
The GDPR gives users the right to have their stored data deleted.
How does the GDPR handle situations where the data controller needs the data to fulfil their obligations to users (specifically by ...
0
votes
1answer
49 views
What are the “default rights” for the source code on the Internet without license shown?
Suppose that one finds programming code from a web-page without any license. How a reader of the web page can use it? Can she copy it to own computer, compile it, run it, do some statistical analysis ...
0
votes
1answer
51 views
Cookie opt-in required on paid-for web-based software-as-a-service application?
Context:
We provide a paid-for web-based software-as-a-service application. This application requires users to register an account, and agree to our terms & conditions and privacy policy to be ...
0
votes
1answer
79 views
Is it possible to sell a software to enterprises, then release its source code for free?
The title says it all. Out of curiosity and because I didn't find any result when searching about that, I'm asking here if it's technically possible to sell a software to an enterprise, then months ...
0
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0answers
31 views
Can I allow creation of a user profile without their knowledge?
I'm working on an app/website and I want to add functionality, which would allow current users create profiles for their friends and possibly connect these pages with the persons social network ...
1
vote
1answer
89 views
If running Linux on same physical computer as Windows, can one legally use Microsoft's files?
I bought a computer with Windows 10 pre-installed. I then also installed Linux on the same computer so that I can choose between Windows or Linux at boot time (dual booting). I also have it set up ...
0
votes
1answer
125 views
Can I use a proprietary software in my web service?
My goal is to develop a web service that is automating multiple software together. I plan to sell the whole web service as a SaaS for a monthly fee.
Problem is, one of the software programs I plan to ...
1
vote
1answer
38 views
Am I allowed to use another company’s Software License?
Say I work on a software project where I want to publish the source code (for example on GitHub) solely for review (= access, analyse, test and otherwise review the code as a reference). Now, I asked ...
0
votes
1answer
131 views
Is selling an online poker assistance software that is prohibited by poker sites legal?
I own a small tech firm and we have been approached by a team of professional online poker players. They want us to build a real time assistance software that helps them play poker.
It works by ...
0
votes
0answers
6 views
Is it legal to edit an EPL v2 licensed plugin given the circumstances given below?
Can I LEGALLY modify Cross GCC plugin, so that it becomes MinGW-w64 plugin given that I preserve the comment at the top of certain Java source files and plugin.xml and just add myself to the list of ...
2
votes
1answer
41 views
Can an investor block new investment in a software company in order to cause administration and buy assets?
I have a friend who is the CEO of a software startup. As with many software companies a large amount of value of the business lies in the software code, and data which has accrued over time.
An ...
4
votes
1answer
621 views
California’s AB5 and freelance software development
Does California’s AB5 affect freelance software developers? If they own their own company (registered as Inc.) then they obviously are not looking to become an employee. They started their company to ...
2
votes
0answers
64 views
Keygen legality
Say I own a Microsoft Windows license key, but I lose it. I have no proof of purchase or anything. Can I use a keygen, and use that key to use the same software that I technically own?
I've done ...
1
vote
2answers
225 views
Am I legally responsible for being a developer of a code, if my customer uses it illegally?
I am from an Europe country, I work online and get orders on freelancer websites.
Few months ago, I had a customer hiring me to do some Bitcoin-related coding, I'm one of their developers for 6-7 ...
2
votes
1answer
63 views
A technician injected malware into my computer without my knowledge
So this fixer that I asked to fix my busted front audio ports injected my PC with KMS-R@in in order to get rid of the activate windows watermark without my consent/knowledge, and it gave me Floxif.E ...
1
vote
2answers
114 views
Is there any legal way to stop specific websites from offering nulled versions of my software for free?
Last year I wrote a piece of software that functions as an accessory application for a large forum software suite.
Specifically, it is an "Application" for Invision Community.
You can find other ...
1
vote
2answers
32 views
Is a contribution clause necessary in dual-licensed MIT-or-Apache code?
I’ve noticed a lot of dual-licensed MIT-or-Apache Rust projects have added this clause concerning contributions:
### Contribution
Unless you explicitly state otherwise, any contribution ...
0
votes
1answer
34 views
Can licenses and disclaimers be summarized?
Software licenses try to avoid ambiguity, which results in them being rather lengthy and hard to read. Would I be okay with flippantly summarizing the gist or spirit of a license in another place (...
2
votes
3answers
62 views
Consulting agreement between my corporation and client also includes me individually
I own a Canadian corporation, which consults on software. Recently, I've been offered a contract with a US company. Instead of making the contract solely with my company, it states that "Consultant" ...
1
vote
1answer
40 views
How to adopt a class from .Net Core? [closed]
.Net Core is licensed under MIT (copy below).
If I understood it correctly, it says I'm allowed to copy and modify the software, including for sale, but that I have to include the license text in "...
0
votes
3answers
59 views
What responsibility I have by letting customers take payments from their clients on my system
I want to let users add their Stripe, Braintree or other payment processors API keys to my system and then let them send links to their clients where they can pay for services or whatever they are ...
2
votes
0answers
44 views
Is it legal to create an alternative implementation of proprietary game server?
There are various multiplayer MOBA or MMORPG games, that have no publicly available documentation for their proprietary server protocols, and which only have one official client that provides an ...
1
vote
1answer
61 views
Does Canada Have A Law Against Automatic Software Updates?
The Windows 10 1909 November setup license agreement has a provision which seems to suggest Microsoft must provide Canadians with the ability to entirely disable updates. Is there such a law?
0
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0answers
34 views
Python with Visual Studio Build tools and cx_Oracle
When running py -m pip install cx_Oracle a message says that I need Visual C++ build tools. cx_Oracle is a free license, but it's not clear whether you have to pay for the build tools that you have to ...
0
votes
1answer
46 views
Making use of client side website files to figure out API endpoints being used
There is a utility website witch I presumed used a backend API. There is no authentication or anything on the website, it's just for public use. Now, I want to build a mobile app that makes use of the ...
0
votes
1answer
40 views
Is there a general EULA I can use that will gurantee my conditions?
Is there a general EULA that companies starting out can include with there software? I need it to guarantee the following,
License Requirements:
The code remains my intellectual property
They have ...
2
votes
1answer
84 views
Is it legal to disclose a technical vulnerability publicly that might cause a monetary loss to millions of people?
I'll cite an example that came to my mind to crisply explain the essence of my question. It might contain some extreme assumptions not rooted in real world examples.
Computer scientist John Doe who ...
9
votes
2answers
728 views
Can my school force me to use applications or a school-issued computer if I do not agree with the terms of use for that application?
Can my school force me to use applications or a school-issued computer if I do not agree with the terms of use for that application? I do not trust most of the applications that my school requires me ...
1
vote
2answers
114 views
How to recreate functionality without violating software code copyright laws?
What would happen if I need to recreate code for a software function I did previously?
The catch is that even when I'm writing it from scratch I cannot make it very different from how it was where I ...
0
votes
1answer
55 views
Is legal to block tracking cookies by tool (machine arrangement)?
I was browsing and suddenly my browser told me that blocked tracking cookies. (Of course some time before I was told that from now on it is able to do so.)
I wonder if it is truly legal to block ...
0
votes
0answers
19 views
Are Brazilian companies allowed to store the first 6 digits of my card number?
I tried buying a bus ticket online from a bus company from Brazil and the payment failed.
However, in the history of payments the failed transaction shows the first 6 and the last 4 digits of my card ...
0
votes
1answer
48 views
Using screen recording of client's products in promotion
I work at a company that creates software that developers use in their frontend. We have a free and open source version of our software and a paid, non-open-source version. It is easy to detect if a ...
0
votes
0answers
58 views
Is it legal to create and sell a tool to modify config files for games
I've recently discovered an oversight in a popular games config file system that allows you to use an item even if you haven't yet unlocked it, this is a multiplayer game where players are expected to ...
0
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0answers
65 views
Distributing (for free) defunct software with valid license [duplicate]
I'm thinking about creating and distributing for free a virtual image with Ubuntu that has installed the latest original software from a defunct software provider with valid (paid) licenses.
From ...
2
votes
0answers
65 views
Is it okay to use my own software for a job with another company?
Over the last year I setup (registered) my own company so I could do freelance and contracting. I also produced some digital products for sale on the app stores.
During that time I built a very ...
2
votes
1answer
55 views
Legal to make an app that organizes other people's youtube videos?
I'd like to make a mobile application that organizes youtube videos into groups, allowing the user to browse groups and watch videos.
For example - I'd like to organize certain cooking videos (not ...
-1
votes
2answers
157 views
Will I go to jail if I made an Artificial Intelligence?
I am a programmer, I'm always using different programming languages to make something like a hobby or just my playground.
Now I have several insights of how can I make an Artificial Intelligence, ...
0
votes
1answer
51 views
Does this fall under the “Commercial usage” definition?
I am working on a mobile application. It uses a third-party service (let's call it XYZ) which in its ToS has stated
Use the XYZ Platform to develop and distribute non-commercial
Streaming SDAs ...
1
vote
1answer
60 views
What steps should be taken in order to legalise and sell medical software?
So I thought about an idea for a medical software and I made just for fun. It wasn't that good but it was much better than what I'd expected to get. Fast forward a couple months, I made the software a ...
0
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0answers
117 views
GDPR IFrame Cookies - Opt-In necessary?
A lot of googling didn't help me with the following questions:
Given I own a website which only creates one cookie that identifies a users session - is it okay to embed said website in an iframe ...
0
votes
2answers
142 views
Who is held accountable in case of violation of JSON license's specific 'no evil' clause - the end user, the distro, or both?
The JSON license, as well as the jslint (and the 'jshint' derivative) license, is an otherwise unmodified version of the MIT License except for one peculiar clause which reads:
The Software shall ...
1
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0answers
18 views
Using the BSD 3-clause license with splash screen
If someone is using a BSD 3-clause licensed software in their own product, what would be considered "endorse or "promote". The license states:
Neither the name of the copyright holder nor the ...
0
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0answers
25 views
Building an ebay type app, what kind of financial liability should I expect?
I’m looking into building a eBay-like store on top of my application where suppliers can post their products and buyers would make the purchase directly on the app. We would collect a commission and ...
-1
votes
1answer
238 views
Export compliance and iOS
I want to release my first app to Google Play and App Store. I have a question about Export Compliance issue. Since I didn't even know this is needed I am struggling. I already posted a similar ...
0
votes
2answers
48 views
Is an artifact generated by a software under the same license if not explicitly stated?
The current example is to generate an audio file with spoken text using a speech synthesizer and a voice, which both are licensed under a proprietary or open source license.
Assuming the license ...
