sounds in OpenOffice.org gallery

Talk about anything at all....
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lytithwyn
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sounds in OpenOffice.org gallery

Post by lytithwyn »

Hi. I'm sorry if I'm asking this in the wrong place...it is a rather strange question.

I am writing my own open source program to burn cd's in Linux (it is licensed under the GPL) and I'd like to use romans.wav from the OpenOffice.org gallery to play when a cd is finished burning.

Is this possible? I would not have a problem with giving credit wherever I need to, in the README, in the about box, etc. I have tried to find information on how the license for those files works, but I can't seem to get anywhere.
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acknak
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Re: sounds in OpenOffice.org gallery

Post by acknak »

I don't think there is anyone here who can tell you what is acceptable, beyond helping you to locate the license that covers those files. Ultimately, you'll have to read the license and interpret it for your own circumstances.
I have tried to find information on how the license for those files works, but I can't seem to get anywhere.
Does that mean you can't find the license, or you don't understand it, or something else?

As far as I know, unless clearly marked otherwise[*], Sun holds the copyright for every component of OOo and everything is LGPL. If that's accurate (and it may not be--I haven't looked, and GPL/LGPL are designed for software, not media, so the sounds could well be under different terms), I don't know of anything that would prevent you from using parts for your project, you just have to preserve the copyright information and license for those files.

[*] E.g., in THIRDPARTYLICENSEREADME.html
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lytithwyn
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Re: sounds in OpenOffice.org gallery

Post by lytithwyn »

That's the part I couldn't figure out...if the LGPL licensing applies to the media files, too, or the program only. I almost think there would have to be a separate license for the media. The L/GPL talks about releasing the source code for programs, and the idea of source code doesn't really apply properly to a file that is binary-only by nature.
lytithwyn
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Re: sounds in OpenOffice.org gallery

Post by lytithwyn »

Does this line on the licensing page mean that the media is LGPL'd?
Works beside code donated to the project under cover of the JCA are held by Sun Microsystems for the project under the project's prevailing license, in this case, the LGPL. Even if you have already submitted the JCA, you may also sign the PDL per work contributed, in which case the PDL takes precendence. In some cases, we also permit the use of the Creative Commons Attribution License ("Attribution-NoDerivs 2.5"). See below for details on the circumstances of using this license.
If so, I would just list the LGPL license and that the file is copyrighted by Sun, correct?
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acknak
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Re: sounds in OpenOffice.org gallery

Post by acknak »

Again, I don't want to give you an opinion on what is or isn't "correct"--I am no lawyer!--but I don't see anything that would contradict your analysis of the situation.

As far as I know, there is no reason that someone couldn't use LGPL for non-software files, it's just that some of the language in the license is specific for software and so the interpretation of the license for other files may be difficult to prove. If I were in your shoes, I might take that as evidence that Sun doesn't care too much about those files ;-)
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lytithwyn
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Re: sounds in OpenOffice.org gallery

Post by lytithwyn »

Ok. What I think I'll do is include the file with my program, and put in the readme and about box that the sound file is from OpenOffice, and that it is copyright to Sun under the terms of the LGPL.

Thanks for your help!
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