Hi, I am the author of a free software program called GNU phpGrabComics. It started as a very small project, and now it is growing much as user base. My server (I am on a shared hosting) is starting to have load problems, and I have to consider what to do.
But, first of all, is the time for verifing with strong attention if the software itself is legal. I have had several comments and tryed to address them, but before any further step I want to be totally sure that the software is legal. Ok - the facts. phpGrabComics (available at http://www.baravalle.it/phpGrabComics/) is a software that: 1- connects to some web sites (nearly 250) 2- finds the URL of the daily comic 3- saves some of the comics for use of the webmaster only. The location where the comics are saved is not published (there are no links to the comics - but they are neither protected, at the present time; a user that knows phpGrabComics code may access the comics). 4- publishes some information: a- a RSS file with the URL of the daily comic b- a small thumbnail of the daily comic c- a XML file similar to the RSS one, with informations on the HTTP headers required to download the comics phpGrabComics clients get the RSS file or the XML file from a phpGrabComics site and then can download the comics. pyGrabComics (in python) and phpGrabComics command line (in php) do pretty much the same and allow to download comics from the command line. phpGrabComics for nuke parses the RSS and allows to add comics to phpNuke sites. I'm not sure: -if it is legal that the directory where phpGrabComics saves comics is accessible to the public, even if there is no link at all to the comics (but I know of web sites that are linking to the comics that are in the directory) -if are legal my RSS (http://www.baravalle.it/phpGrabComics/rss_feeds.php) and my XML (http://www.baravalle.it/phpGrabComics/webcomics.xml) -if it is legal to distribute the phpNuke module. My understanding is that in many cases the use of the phpNuke module would not be legal, if it is used to publish the comics. I am not using the module in my site. -if the icons used in phpGrabComics are legal. Every comic has a small icon. In my home page is written that: "All comics are copyright of respective owners, and redistribution of the comics is, for most comics and in most circumstances, not permitted. phpGrabComics is intended for personal use only." Hope someone can give me some suggestions. Thanks in advance. Andres PS: I have started to package phpGrabComics but, again, before submitting it to Debian, I want to be sure that this is legal, and to find what to do to make it legal if it is not. ____________ Andres Baravalle http://www.baravalle.it ____________ Gli uomini d'azione sono poco pratici. La stessa azione li allontana dalla loro meta. Paco Ignacio Taibo I -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]