Most of what is posted at the SyKronix Web sites are in the "copyleft"
spirit of the GNU Public License
(GPL).
This is different from being proprietary, but it does not mean that
the material is "in the public domain."
Unless clearly stated otherwise, you are allowed to use materials that are
on this SyKronix site (this does not include linked material that is maintained
at some place outside of this site), but you must reference
SyKronix when you do so, you may not charge for the software or other SyKronix owned
materials themselves, and you must, in writing, extend the same offer to others.
For example, you may freely hack and install the Perl BookMark application,
developed by SyKronix, on your own or someone else's server.
However, you must maintain original credits to SyKronix, you may not charge a
fee for the software or source code itself, and you must extend, in writing,
the same license to anyone else who uses this software or who develops an application
that is based in any part on this original work.
You may, of course, charge a fee for your time and services associated with
modifying or mounting the application and for any physical materials
(e.g., copying to a CD).
This also includes text material such as the educational materials posted at
Tyman-Space Online College.
You may use these materials, but you must always include a written reference to
SyKronix as the original source and you may not charge a fee for the original material,
which is owned by SyKronix.
You may, however, charge a fee for your time and consulting services and may charge
for any physical materials (e.g., photocopy paper).
Note that parts of SyKronix themselves are adapted from other sources, such
as the asynchronous messaging systems (YaBB) and the synchronous focus group
rooms (BlueSparks and ChatPro). As required by the originators of the source
code, links to the web sites of the owners of the original source code are maintained
in the applications. If you use those original works, then you would maintain
the references and links to those original owners, not to SyKronix.
Some people believe that one can take ownership of a bookmark list of Web links.
Not true for individual brief lists such as what are on the SyKronix sites -
swipe freely and shamelessly. Anyone searching for the same limited material
would have generated the same limited lists, so there can be no ownership, no matter
the effort expended. Lifting a page with many sets of links -- html,
layout, and all -- is an entirely different issue.
It is always socially correct to let someone know when you are using their work
to enhance your own.
Please do not abuse the copyleft idea.
People who make material and applications available for others to freely use do
not generate any direct financial gain, but rather assist in the commerce of
their business by sharing and exchanging tools of the trade with colleagues.
One hope for many of us is that such public demonstrations of our abilities make
us worth more in the employment marketplace than those who have provided no evidence
of having ever built anything that has any generalizable value.
