[m-dev.] Re: copyright notices

[Andrew Bromage]

G'day.

Lee wrote:

> The copyright notice has no legal affect anyway -
> it just might make some people think before they copy it.  The (C)
> symbol has never had and legal status in Australia and no longer has
> in the USA.

However the standard banner uses the word "Copyright" which does have
legal status.  The (C) symbol really only makes a cute ASCII art
addition to that word and could probably go.

> Also, and you should all think about this, contributions to the Mercury 
> system made by students are, by default, the intellectual property of the 
> students, not the university.

I would guess that voluntarily putting that banner in your work would
constitute signing over the rights to the code produced at least, though
probably not the intellectual property which made the code possible.

Cheers,
Andrew Bromage