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I'm asking particularry about the c math library cephes (http://www.netlib.org/cephes/) where after I downloaded it found no file stating any licanse and the sourcecode it self has in the typical header jsut stated "copyright year by name" not even contact informations.

So what does this mean for the right to use the code if it is just stated that the code is copyrighted but nothing else?

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  • There is a license stated, in the netlib FAQ page: "Most netlib software packages have no restrictions on their use but we recommend you check with the authors to be sure." This means that cephes is almost certainly open source under terms similar to the CC0 license, however you need to contact the author (or just contact netlib) to verify that. – Abhi Beckert Sep 15 '15 at 23:06
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This means you have no rights to use, modify, run or distribute the code, but may only use it to study.

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  • I think this is incorrect, the netlib FAQ states "Most netlib software packages have no restrictions on their use but we recommend you check with the authors to be sure." his means the code probably is open source, Zaibis just needs to send an email and ask to be sure. – Abhi Beckert Sep 15 '15 at 23:04
  • @AbhiBeckert: in the example I stated you are right but in general (and tahts what the title is asking about) he is correct. (I'm assuming that is as it is.) – Zaibis Sep 16 '15 at 6:40
  • @Zaibis no, it is incorrect that "you have no rights". You do have some rights, in every case you have "some" rights the only question is which ones. – Abhi Beckert Sep 17 '15 at 1:56
  • In this case, it seems very much the intention of the author for the code to be used and re-used under some terms. It's just unclear what those terms are. We shouldn't judge too harshly that researchers want to spend their precious time to think about tech rather than licensing, but the current copyright climate being what it is, it makes it dangerous to make too many assumptions. – Martijn Sep 17 '15 at 8:53

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