copyright removal

[donald321]

What are the rules about removing the copyright from my smf 2.0.2 forum? Is for example this forum legal? http://tropical-fish-forums .com

[Arantor]

Legally, the licence permits you to do so. However you will not receive any support here for matters involving your forum.

[Colin]

Removing the copyright provides no benefit for the client or simple machines. If you are using 100% free software why wouldn't you want to support the organization who is providing it?

[Arantor]

The fact that it's still blatantly an SMF forum is almost an irrelevance, too.

[MC73]

If thou remove the Copy Right and/or Credits, A Meteor will fall out of the sky and will land on your home.

But seriously, Since you didn't have to pay for this great software, why not leave the copy rights/ credits in tack. I'm sure you yourself saw "SMF" at the bottom of other forums b4 you chose SMF.

[MrPhil]

I could sort of understand someone wanting a very slick and elegant page desiring to hide the copyrights. I would be happy with a single link "Credits" that went to a new page that displayed all the version information and SMF copyrights, as well as the XHTML, RSS, and WAP2 links. Or, perhaps a pulldown (select) where each entry acts like a link. What think youse guyz?

On the other hand, those who simply want to hide other people's copyrights so they can imply (or even explicitly claim) that it's their own software are slime.

[Arantor]

There *are* legitimate reasons for removing copyright (e.g. certain establishments which require no visible copyrights, notably certain government institutions) but very often it's about claiming they own something that they do not.

[Do not heart me......]

Copyright Removal is not allow by the SMF . If its remove , not get any support. Search in SMF .

[Colin]

Copyright Removal is not allow by the SMF . If its remove , not get any support. Search in SMF .

Please read above before you post. It is technically permitted.

[Do not heart me......]

But "Ricky" member is not permited. I have already search it.

[Colin]

But "Ricky" member is not permited. I have already search it.

?

[Do not heart me......]

Legally, the licence permits you to do so. However you will not receive any support here for matters involving your forum.

Sorry colin, above the same .You can do it but you will not get support. And see this also.
http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=470661.msg3290611#msg3290611

Sorry its Aleksi "Lex" Kilpinen not ricky.

[MrPhil]

certain establishments which require no visible copyrights, notably certain government institutions

Interesting. Why would government institutions be allowed to violate copyrights and we can't? I'd like to see the reasoning and legal justification behind that. If it's a matter of an SMF copyright seeming to imply that SMF also controls or owns the content, that can be finessed. Change the SMF copyright to state that the underlying code is SMF's copyright, and encourage the forum owner to add a separate statement concerning any copyrights or ownership of the forum content. Both sides are happy.

[Storman™]

Is for example this forum legal?

In theory yes regarding SMF but no regarding some of the mods installed as they are under a different licencing model.

However, you did not state whether you are the website's owner (although I assume you are?). Consequently, generally never assume a website is "illegal" just because a copyright notice does not exist as a legititmate contractual arrangement may be in place between the two parties involved.

[Arantor]

@MrPhil I have no idea why that would be the case, but it is the reason why SMF 1 actually had a feature internally to be able to purchase copyright removal from SM LLC on a case by case basis.