Dual copyright?

Yuck · February 5, 2005

I would like to keep the OSC copyright clickable link in my footer, but I also want my own. I have made quite a few changes and the design I would like to think is unique to my site in it's own way. There are certainly images and logos that are mine. Is it "legal" or correct to have two copyright notices or is there a better way to handle this?

burt · February 5, 2005

How about;

Linked as appropriate.

RyanSmith · February 5, 2005

I would like to keep the OSC copyright clickable link in my footer, but I also want my own. I have made quite a few changes and the design I would like to think is unique to my site in it's own way. There are certainly images and logos that are mine. Is it "legal" or correct to have two copyright notices or is there a better way to handle this?

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I think that as long as you leave the powered by oscommerce there your good to add whatever. I would look in includes/languages/english.php, and at the bottom of the page, there is the disclaimer, and a link to more information. Thats probably your best bet.

Yuck · February 5, 2005

I think that as long as you leave the powered by oscommerce there your good to add whatever. I would look in includes/languages/english.php, and at the bottom of the page, there is the disclaimer, and a link to more information. Thats probably your best bet.

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I read this already, the relevant part being

The osCommerce copyright announcement displayed on the Catalog module of osCommerce can, however, be modified, and even removed, if the layout of the site theme has been modified to distinguish itself from the default osCommerce-copyrighted theme.

Now I'm new to these things but I'm not really sure what that means :)

For example I have changed every colour, all of the images, centred the shop and a whole pile of other mods. However I still use info boxes, that are for the most part at least still broadly positioned in the same place as stock. I want to make reference to OSC but 2 copyright notices just looks strange. I'm very happy to put "powered by" but unwilling to break the copyright rules. I'd post my site but it's not ready yet and I want to have a "launch" in the Community Feedback section :)

bglkk · February 5, 2005

I'm no lawyer, but based on your description I'd be confident that you have already met the criteria that your site theme "has been modified to distinguish itself from the default osCommerce-copyrighted theme".

Or you could do something like this--a common enough practice.

If I'm not mistaken, the osCommerce folks are probably less concerned with the copyright showing on storefronts than they are in keeping it in the code, since the code could be nicked for forks and competing products.

February 6, 2005

You will find our copyright policy here - these are the conditions under which you may remove the notice - it is a permission from osCommerce, not a right.

Personally, I do not like the use of 'portions' - shouldn't it then be for both notices? It is actually illegal in most countries to display an altered copyright notice :D

If you deem that the original copyright notice should be retained in line with our policy, but as you say there is (as expected) material copyright to yourself, then you should append your own notice to the existing notice (this is widely accepted and the usual practice).

Retaining 'Powered by osCommerce' is never mandatory unless you wish to post your site for review in the My Store channel - it is not equivalent to or a replacement for the copyright notice.

Matti

bglkk · February 6, 2005

Personally, I do not like the use of 'portions' - shouldn't it then be for both notices? It is actually illegal in most countries to display an altered copyright notice :D

If you deem that the original copyright notice should be retained in line with our policy, but as you say there is (as expected) material copyright to yourself, then you should append your own notice to the existing notice (this is widely accepted and the usual practice).

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Illegal? It is far from my intent to disrespect osCommerce copyrights, or advocate any illegal activity... :o

With that in mind, I would be most interested to learn how appending "Portions" to an intact and unaltered copyright notice (consisting of three elements: the symbol, the year of first publication, and the name of the owner of copyright) could be construed as an illegal act--especially given this statement in the osCommerce copyright policy:

"The osCommerce copyright announcement displayed on the Catalog module of osCommerce can, however, be modified, and even removed, if the layout of the site theme has been modified to distinguish itself from the default osCommerce-copyrighted theme."

We are discussing designs that have been substantially modified from the default osCommerce-copyrighted theme.

I can understand your personal dislike of the practice, but given the number of large and well-represented corporations that employ it, I suspect that it is not an illegal act. o:) But like I said, I'm open to instruction. I don't even do it on my osC site, so it's academic to me.

February 7, 2005

With that in mind, I would be most interested to learn how appending "Portions" to an intact and unaltered copyright notice (consisting of three elements: the symbol, the year of first publication, and the name of the owner of copyright) could be construed as an illegal act--especially given this statement in the osCommerce copyright policy:

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You mean 'prepending' :P

I did not mean to imply that what you suggested (as you have clarified and I understood it) is illegal - its not, I simply said I personally do not like it - that is a moral question rather than legal. Perhaps I should have made my next comment in another paragraph? To alter our copyright notice to something like 'EC engine copyright osC' is the type of alteration that is questionable legally.

bglkk · February 7, 2005

You mean 'prepending' :P

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:blush:

You mean 'prepending' :P

I did not mean to imply that what you suggested (as you have clarified and I understood it) is illegal

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Understood, thanks. We love ya, osC. :wub:

Dual copyright?

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