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Who owns SDN Content?

Former Member
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Hi All,

This is related with the IP(Intellectual Property) for the contents published in the SDN. Most of the folks of SDN team are aware of this just thought of posting it for others in the community to have a chance to post their opinion and suggestions on the same.

Please go through the following http://dealarchitect.typepad.com/deal_architect/2007/02/who_owns_sdn_co.html

Regards

Ayyapparaj

Accepted Solutions (0)

Answers (3)

Answers (3)

Former Member
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Hi,

Any more comments...

Regards

Ayyapparaj

Former Member
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I've thought about this on occasion, but never did the work on it that you did Ayyapparaj.

The question that concerns me is:

If a contributor posts code that is obviously from a working program, is that code copyrighted by the client? If so, is SDN or SAP itself responsible in any way for breaking copyright law?

Rob

ThomasZloch
Active Contributor
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> If a contributor posts code that is obviously from a working program, is that code copyrighted by the client?

Depends, in my case: yes (quite standard contractual terms)

> If so, is SDN or SAP itself responsible in any way for breaking copyright law?

Not sure, might depend on local legislation, in Germany I think: no (I am responsible, see above)

That's why I am very hesitant in pasting code fragments, let alone complete programs. I can give people hints in the right direction, so they can maybe do their own work based on these. This fits my overall approach of helping them to help themselves, rather than spoon feeding.

Thomas

Former Member
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>

> > If a contributor posts code that is obviously from a working program, is that code copyrighted by the client?

>

> Depends, in my case: yes (quite standard contractual terms)

>

> > If so, is SDN or SAP itself responsible in any way for breaking copyright law?

>

> Not sure, might depend on local legislation, in Germany I think: no (I am responsible, see above)

>

> That's why I am very hesitant in pasting code fragments, let alone complete programs. I can give people hints in the right direction, so they can maybe do their own work based on these. This fits my overall approach of helping them to help themselves, rather than spoon feeding.

> Thomas

Well, my point was that even though the poster may (or may not) be responsible, his or her financial position is probably not as good as SAPs, If I were a lawyer, going after SAP would make more sense.

Rob

former_member181995
Active Contributor
0 Kudos

>

> If a contributor posts code that is obviously from a working program, is that code copyrighted by the client? If so, is SDN or SAP itself responsible in any way for breaking copyright law?

No,May be i'm not with you on this comments.

Obviously Data are copyright information for SAP customers but not programs.

And Imagine if you post the whole working code for me, than you need not to worry about your security issues, it will give me information as per my database values/data/information.

Your Business Earnings(But nowdays Loosing) still confidential up to you only

And Code/syntax/semantics are copyrighted material for all SAP customers,and the person who asks the Code on SCN i guess they are also SAP customers it won't offend of Copyright material in any case.

Just My thoughts~

former_member583013
Active Contributor
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Obviously Data are copyright information for SAP customers but not programs.

And Imagine if you post the whole working code for me, than you need not to worry about your security issues, it will give me information as per my database values/data/information.

Your Business Earnings(But nowdays Loosing) still confidential up to you only

Don't forget that the client had paid for that code...If Rob send you his full code...Then he's sharing but his client pay him to do...You will get paid for his work...Even when obviously the data is going to be protected.

Even when most of the stuff I have post on SCN was developed at my customers...They don't use that programs, so it doesn't matter...They haven't pay me to do them...I have made them on my spare time.

Just my thoughts -;)

Greetings,

Blag.

Former Member
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>

> Obviously Data are copyright information for SAP customers but not programs.

Well, if I paid someone thousands of dollars to develop some proprietary code and then found it spread all over the internet, I might be a bit ticked.

Rob

Former Member
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>

> Even when most of the stuff I have post on SCN was developed at my customers...They don't use that programs, so it doesn't matter...They haven't pay me to do them...I have made them on my spare time.

There are examples almost every day of someone posting entire large programs that certainly look as if they are meant to do something and probably not written in someone's spare time.

Rob

former_member583013
Active Contributor
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There are examples almost every day of someone posting entire large programs that certainly look as if they are meant to do something and probably not written in someone's spare time.

That's true...That's why I was talking about my own personal experience -:) I really dislike when I say complete programs that obviously have been written for a client...When I need to post something like that, I only took a small snippet...I would never post a complete program that a client have paid me to develop.

Greetings,

Blag.

Former Member
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But can SAP be held responsible for the other cases? I'm betting that a good lawyer could make a case that it is.

Rob

former_member181995
Active Contributor
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>

> Don't forget that the client had paid for that code...If Rob send you his full code...Then he's sharing but his client pay him to do...You will get paid for his work...Even when obviously the data is going to be protected.

For me Completely senseless comments!!

That means on SCN if the person give hints (Atleast Thomas:-)) by the giving small piece of code(I'm guessing the person who is giving piece of code is niether getting paid from questionire nor from their customers and even not from SAP/SCN).

And your comments made me revise my working hours schedule cause ,we should not(According to your comments) contribute SCN in working hours because Client is paying us for these 8-10(Depends) hours not SCN!!

Just My thoughts~

Cheers

former_member583013
Active Contributor
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Amit:

I think you had misread my post...

That means on SCN if the person give hints (Atleast Thomas:-)) by the giving small piece of code(I'm guessing the person who is giving piece of code is niether getting paid from questionire nor from their customers and even not from SAP/SCN).

I haven't talk about "small pieces of code"....I was talking about fully functional programs...Pieces of code are Ok...Fully functional programs are not Ok...

And your comments made me revise my working hours schedule cause ,we should not(According to your comments) contribute SCN in working hours because Client is paying us for these 8-10(Depends) hours not SCN!!

I haven't said that...What I said is that most of my contributions to SCN have been actually done in my working hours, but the codes I have posted haven't been paid by my client...It's a totally different thing if the client pay you for a program and the you post the full code to SCN...

Greetings,

Blag.

former_member181995
Active Contributor
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>

> Well, if I paid someone thousands of dollars to develop some proprietary code and then found it spread all over the internet, I might be a bit ticked.

..But you can only write(And also post) logic/Tricks in program,And this is open for all ABAPER.

Are they can't write for theirself?

...But only thing you are loosing is that, you are sperading your knowledge over internet

Former Member
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Amit - I think you're missing the point. SDN contributor's can do what they want, but how does the code owner (the company) feel about having something it paid for and owns, put in the forum?

Rob

former_member181995
Active Contributor
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But i generally used to keep my own codes with me.And reuse them for other clients if necessary.

This often save my work and Company's paid hours also

@Alvaro,I'm not mind reader,i'm well in content reader

Cheers,

Amit.

former_member583013
Active Contributor
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But i generally used to keep my own codes with me.And reuse them for other clients if necessary.

This often save my work and Company's paid hours also

I do the same (My USB is full from 7 years of my ABAP work) -:) But one thing is to keep your codes to yourself, and another thing is to spread them into the web -;)

@Alvaro,I'm not mind reader,i'm well in content reader

LOL My english is not the best...I know -:)

Greetings,

Blag.

Former Member
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Great input Ayyaparaj