Re: StdConvs.pas in Borland runtime library, Question

From: Skybuck Flying (nospam_at_hotmail.com)
Date: 02/09/05 

Date: Wed, 9 Feb 2005 09:12:38 +0100

"Edgar del Ray" <great_crack@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:42094c5e.12942841@news.demon.co.uk...
> Dear Delphi users,
>
> This is NOT spam!!!!! Please believe me.
>
> Sorry to interrupt you but please read this before you delete it as I
> would appreciate your help.
>
> I am NOT a Delphi user but have stumbled upon a code listing on one
> site of StdConvs at
>
http://pjtsalina.codigolivre.org.br/doc/pascal/Kylix1fontes/vcl/StdConvs.pas.
>
> I was searching for websites that had a link or even a reference to
> the previous URL of my own website at www.omnis.demon.co.uk and the
> StdConvs file noted above included MY OLD URL!!!!!
>
> Further investigation showed that the file was Copyright (C) 1995,2000
> Inprise Corporation but of even more importance it included two
> reference to my website, one an explicit statement that my website was
> used as a reference for the StdConvs codse and another reference just
> stating the authors views of my site.
>
> I have sent emails to Borland but have not had any reply. This email
> notes that either the references should be updates to show the new URL
> of my website at www.footrule.com and the errors (Yes, StdConvs has
> blatent errors) should be corrected and in the event these errors are
> not corrected, references to my website should be removed.
>
> I include a copy of the first few lines of the file with the
> references to my site.
>
> Could anybody with any version of the runtime library source confirm
> if these refernces are still contained in this code?

Delphi 7 contains it.

>
> Note, should tthis be the case, I will initiate legal proceedings
> against Borland for usinmg code and/or data from my site as there is a
> specific copyright notice prohibiting the use of code or data from my
> site for commercial uses, and Borland's runtime libray code is part of
> a commercial product!

In short: You're out of your fucking mind ;)

The long answer:

The unit/file you are talking about is from a programmers point of view very
simply.

It's a unit/file/code to convert between metrics, values, constants etc.
Very simply really.

These values/constants and methods can be seen as "facts".

These "facts" are not protected by copyright occurding to "fair use".

Just some links:

http://www.utsystem.edu/ogc/intellectualproperty/copypol2.htm

http://www.umuc.edu/library/copy.html#no

Good luck with the lawsuit lol ;)

P.S.: I'm not a lawyer =D

In short: You can not copyright the constant that represent gravity etc.

Bye,
  Skybuck ;)