Scratch

markyparky56 wrote:

Dazachi wrote:

Here is an idea.

Do I have to give credit for basic blocks such as show list, hide list and a few others?
No, you shouldn't have to unless you are copying the code from another mod.

I like your list. It is a much better way to approach the stealing blocks problem. 

Maybe a rephrase is needed.


Do I have to give credit for something that someone else had the idea for

Unless you followed a tutorial or took the code from another mod, you do not have to credit them, unless they said otherwise.

Yeah, that is better.

markyparky56 wrote:

Do I have to give credit for something that someone else had the idea for

Unless you followed a tutorial or took the code from another mod, you do not have to credit them, unless they said otherwise.

nXIII wrote:

No, you should always give credit if it's not your work

See, this illustrates why copyright law isn't very relevant to the discussion.

mp56's message correctly describes copyright, which protects specific writings, not ideas.  (The part of the law that protects ideas is patent law.  But, unlike copyright, you have to specifically register a patent and file very specific documentation of the scope of your original idea.  And it has to be really new, not just (e.g.) new to Scratch, but something that nobody has ever thought of before.  If Smalltalk knows how to do whatever it is, it's probably not patentable.)

n's message, by contrast, correctly describes academic research ethics.  If someone else's work contributed to your work, you're supposed to acknowledge that.  It doesn't mean you need their permission; it doesn't mean you owe them money (which is what copyright is about); it doesn't mean your idea is exactly the same as their idea.  It costs nothing to acknowledge your influences, and doing so only contributes to your own reputation.

So, n, it's a tactical error for you to raise legal issues in your quest for what, in the end, really comes down to good manners.

P.S.  The "do I have to" in the putative question that started this thread is also a source of the confusion manifest in your two different answers.  No, you don't have to.  But yes, you should.  If I were writing a FAQ, I would phrase the question as "should I" because then you can give an unambiguous answer to what's really the right question.

P.P.S.  Quoting myself, "doing so only contributes to your own reputation"; conversely, if someone else fails to acknowledge your prior work, that only takes away from their reputation, not yours.  So this isn't something to obsess about!

Last edited by bharvey (2010-05-27 12:45:58)

bharvey wrote:

markyparky56 wrote:

Do I have to give credit for something that someone else had the idea for

Unless you followed a tutorial or took the code from another mod, you do not have to credit them, unless they said otherwise.

nXIII wrote:

No, you should always give credit if it's not your work

See, this illustrates why copyright law isn't very relevant to the discussion.

mp56's message correctly describes copyright, which protects specific writings, not ideas.  (The part of the law that protects ideas is patent law.  But, unlike copyright, you have to specifically register a patent and file very specific documentation of the scope of your original idea.  And it has to be really new, not just (e.g.) new to Scratch, but something that nobody has ever thought of before.  If Smalltalk knows how to do whatever it is, it's probably not patentable.)

n's message, by contrast, correctly describes academic research ethics.  If someone else's work contributed to your work, you're supposed to acknowledge that.  It doesn't mean you need their permission; it doesn't mean you owe them money (which is what copyright is about); it doesn't mean your idea is exactly the same as their idea.  It costs nothing to acknowledge your influences, and doing so only contributes to your own reputation.

So, n, it's a tactical error for you to raise legal issues in your quest for what, in the end, really comes down to good manners.

P.S.  The "do I have to" in the putative question that started this thread is also a source of the confusion manifest in your two different answers.  No, you don't have to.  But yes, you should.  If I were writing a FAQ, I would phrase the question as "should I" because then you can give an unambiguous answer to what's really the right question.

P.P.S.  Quoting myself, "doing so only contributes to your own reputation"; conversely, if someone else fails to acknowledge your prior work, that only takes away from their reputation, not yours.  So this isn't something to obsess about!

Wait, I don't think I did bring legal issues into this....
Oh, sorry, I think I misread the "question" and thought it said "if it's not my work" instead of "if it's not my idea"

LS97 wrote:

nXIII wrote:

Dazachi wrote:

Yeah, that is better.

No, you should always give credit if it's not your work 

i think the absolute BEST rephrase is


Do I have to give credit for something that someone else had the idea for
Yes, but say 'Credit to a person for their idea'

No the best rephrase would be:

Do I have to give credit for something that someone else had the idea for? just fixing a little grammatical issue (you forgot the question mark    )

Great post. It is common thing that people claim blocks as only their own, but Scratch is all about sharing!