On 06/07/2016 09:35 PM, Arnt Karlsen wrote:
> On Tue, 7 Jun 2016 15:31:31 +0900, Simon wrote in message
> <57566A43.4050803@???>:
>
>> On 06/07/2016 02:51 PM, Hughe Chung wrote:
>>> I've been porting an Open Source program to Python 3.4 for my
>>> personal use. The original source code written by C language in
>>> 2005 has MIT license.
>>>
>>> ...
>>>
>>> I'm planning to release it under GPLv3 soon. I will definitely
>>> acknowledge original author on the license but don't want to
>>> include the ancient source code in my program.
>>>
>> I think it depends on how much you copied and how polite you are. You
>> can say "inspired by", but if your code is structured the same and it
>> really is a port, I think you might want to word it differently.
>> Though I don't think you need to include such a notice in your source
>> code. If you are naming it the same and calling it a Python version,
>> then maybe coordinate with the original author. That's just my
>> opinion. I am not a lawyer.
> ..11 years with Groklaw.net has thaught me to be a little harsher;
> you cannot "port" a program written under one license (MIT), under
> another license, unless that first license has language that allows
> such "relicensing" under other licensing terms.

The MIT license must be retained. Though it does say you can sub-license.

Since Chung's new version is written in Python, wouldn't it be
considered a different piece of software? I don't think a re-write in
another language of something licensed under the MIT license can even be
considered a derivative, much less a copy.

I think a port is normally considered what you do when you recompile
code for another architecture. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porting)
says so. I am aware that some say, "port such and such to PHP," but I
think that is technically incorrect.

"The term is not generally applied to the process of adapting software
to run with less memory on the same CPU and operating system, nor is it
applied to the rewriting of source code in a different language
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Programming_language> (i.e. language
conversion or translation)."

Of course Wikipedia is not the authority on all knowledge. ;)

Simon