Discussion:
Adium screenshot license question
Steven Lehrburger
2013-04-21 20:41:51 UTC
Permalink
Hi,

I'd like to use screenshots/gifs/screencasts of the contact list and
message window to promote both Adium and my (commercial) XMPP service.

This seems to be permitted under Adium's top-level license, GPLv2 (
http://hg.adium.im/adium/file/381404058a33/License.txt), which says "the
output from the Program is covered only if its contents constitute a work
based on the Program," and I don't think such images would constitute a
work based on the Program. Am I reading that right? Does this also apply to
the artwork in the repo that doesn't have a license otherwise specified?

I asked this in #adium-devel, and wixardy sent me
http://adium.im/pipermail/devel_adium.im/2011-August/008566.html, which
says "the icons and artwork within Adium are not licensed under an open
license." Does anyone know where I can confirm that?

I'd love to be able to use screenshots that ship with Adium by default, but
if not, would I be able to use appropriately-licensed themes from Adium
Xtras?

Other possibly-relevant links:

http://adium.im/blog/2006/12/of-licensing/
http://forums.cocoaforge.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=15615&p=98670&hilit=license#p98670

Thanks for your help, and thank you all for working on Adium ? I've been
using it daily for several years.

Best,
Steven
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Evan D. Schoenberg, M.D.
2013-04-21 22:15:21 UTC
Permalink
Steven,

Unless otherwise specified, everything within the Adium repository is licensed under the GPLv2. To the fullest extent allowable by the license, that includes the artwork. In terms of use within an application, we interpret this to mean that icons and resources may only be used in software which is itself GPLv2 compatible. In addition, we exert the project's copyright on the Adium icon and ask that no project use the Adiumy duck as its own icon or mascot without express permission.

Screenshots do not comprise a derivative work and so are allowed in the general case by GPL licensing (I believe you could come up with a convoluted way for a screenshot to covered, such as if the program's job were to output its own source code). In any case, as long as your use of screenshots (or screencasts) provides appropriate credit - indicating in some way that Adium is the application being shown - you're welcome to use screenshots or screencasts of Adium with our blessing.

Well, with at least mine. Any objections or comments from others on the list?

-Evan

--
Evan D. Schoenberg, M.D.
Lead Developer Emeritus, Adium
CEO, Regular Rate and Rhythm Software
evan at adium.im

www.regularrateandrhythm.com (http://www.regularrateandrhythm.com)
Hi,
I'd like to use screenshots/gifs/screencasts of the contact list and message window to promote both Adium and my (commercial) XMPP service.
This seems to be permitted under Adium's top-level license, GPLv2 (http://hg.adium.im/adium/file/381404058a33/License.txt), which says "the output from the Program is covered only if its contents constitute a work based on the Program," and I don't think such images would constitute a work based on the Program. Am I reading that right? Does this also apply to the artwork in the repo that doesn't have a license otherwise specified?
I asked this in #adium-devel, and wixardy sent me http://adium.im/pipermail/devel_adium.im/2011-August/008566.html, which says "the icons and artwork within Adium are not licensed under an open license." Does anyone know where I can confirm that?
I'd love to be able to use screenshots that ship with Adium by default, but if not, would I be able to use appropriately-licensed themes from Adium Xtras?
Post by Steven Lehrburger
http://adium.im/blog/2006/12/of-licensing/
http://forums.cocoaforge.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=15615&p=98670&hilit=license#p98670
Thanks for your help, and thank you all for working on Adium ? I've been using it daily for several years.
Best,
Steven
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Christopher Forsythe
2013-04-22 14:03:02 UTC
Permalink
I don't know that I have much of any code there (or in Adium for that
matter anymore), but I'm fine with you using screenshots so long as you say
something about it being Adium. A nice link/short description of Adium
would be icing. :)

Chris
Post by Evan D. Schoenberg, M.D.
Steven,
Unless otherwise specified, everything within the Adium repository is
licensed under the GPLv2. To the fullest extent allowable by the license,
that includes the artwork. In terms of use *within* an application, we
interpret this to mean that icons and resources may only be used in
software which is itself GPLv2 compatible. In addition, we exert the
project's copyright on the Adium icon and ask that no project use the
Adiumy duck as its own icon or mascot without express permission.
Screenshots do not comprise a derivative work and so are allowed in the
general case by GPL licensing (I believe you could come up with a
convoluted way for a screenshot to covered, such as if the program's job
were to output its own source code). In any case, as long as your use of
screenshots (or screencasts) provides appropriate credit - indicating in
some way that Adium is the application being shown - you're welcome to use
screenshots or screencasts of Adium with our blessing.
Well, with at least mine. Any objections or comments from others on the list?
-Evan
--
Evan D. Schoenberg, M.D.
Lead Developer Emeritus, Adium
CEO, Regular Rate and Rhythm Software
evan at adium.im
www.regularrateandrhythm.com
Hi,
I'd like to use screenshots/gifs/screencasts of the contact list and
message window to promote both Adium and my (commercial) XMPP service.
This seems to be permitted under Adium's top-level license, GPLv2 (
http://hg.adium.im/adium/file/381404058a33/License.txt), which says "the
output from the Program is covered only if its contents constitute a work
based on the Program," and I don't think such images would constitute a
work based on the Program. Am I reading that right? Does this also apply to
the artwork in the repo that doesn't have a license otherwise specified?
I asked this in #adium-devel, and wixardy sent me
http://adium.im/pipermail/devel_adium.im/2011-August/008566.html, which
says "the icons and artwork within Adium are not licensed under an open
license." Does anyone know where I can confirm that?
I'd love to be able to use screenshots that ship with Adium by default,
but if not, would I be able to use appropriately-licensed themes from Adium
Xtras?
http://adium.im/blog/2006/12/of-licensing/
http://forums.cocoaforge.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=15615&p=98670&hilit=license#p98670
Thanks for your help, and thank you all for working on Adium ? I've been
using it daily for several years.
Best,
Steven
--
Chris Forsythe
@The_Tick <http://twitter.com/The_Tick>
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Steven Lehrburger
2013-04-23 21:48:43 UTC
Permalink
Evan and Chris, thanks for your responses! I did some more searching as
well, and found http://www.cocoaforge.com/viewtopic.php?p=131208, which
suggests I can use images of the default themes.

I'll definitely provide attribution and a link to Adium, since people will
need a third-party XMPP client to use my service. I've tried *all* of the
OS X clients out there, and Adium is by far the best :)

Cheers,
Steven
Post by Christopher Forsythe
I don't know that I have much of any code there (or in Adium for that
matter anymore), but I'm fine with you using screenshots so long as you say
something about it being Adium. A nice link/short description of Adium
would be icing. :)
Chris
Post by Evan D. Schoenberg, M.D.
Steven,
Unless otherwise specified, everything within the Adium repository is
licensed under the GPLv2. To the fullest extent allowable by the license,
that includes the artwork. In terms of use *within* an application, we
interpret this to mean that icons and resources may only be used in
software which is itself GPLv2 compatible. In addition, we exert the
project's copyright on the Adium icon and ask that no project use the
Adiumy duck as its own icon or mascot without express permission.
Screenshots do not comprise a derivative work and so are allowed in the
general case by GPL licensing (I believe you could come up with a
convoluted way for a screenshot to covered, such as if the program's job
were to output its own source code). In any case, as long as your use of
screenshots (or screencasts) provides appropriate credit - indicating in
some way that Adium is the application being shown - you're welcome to use
screenshots or screencasts of Adium with our blessing.
Well, with at least mine. Any objections or comments from others on the list?
-Evan
--
Evan D. Schoenberg, M.D.
Lead Developer Emeritus, Adium
CEO, Regular Rate and Rhythm Software
evan at adium.im
www.regularrateandrhythm.com
Hi,
I'd like to use screenshots/gifs/screencasts of the contact list and
message window to promote both Adium and my (commercial) XMPP service.
This seems to be permitted under Adium's top-level license, GPLv2 (
http://hg.adium.im/adium/file/381404058a33/License.txt), which says "the
output from the Program is covered only if its contents constitute a work
based on the Program," and I don't think such images would constitute a
work based on the Program. Am I reading that right? Does this also apply to
the artwork in the repo that doesn't have a license otherwise specified?
I asked this in #adium-devel, and wixardy sent me
http://adium.im/pipermail/devel_adium.im/2011-August/008566.html, which
says "the icons and artwork within Adium are not licensed under an open
license." Does anyone know where I can confirm that?
I'd love to be able to use screenshots that ship with Adium by default,
but if not, would I be able to use appropriately-licensed themes from Adium
Xtras?
http://adium.im/blog/2006/12/of-licensing/
http://forums.cocoaforge.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=15615&p=98670&hilit=license#p98670
Thanks for your help, and thank you all for working on Adium ? I've been
using it daily for several years.
Best,
Steven
--
Chris Forsythe
@The_Tick <http://twitter.com/The_Tick>
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