[apt4ssx8] Re: Some clarification on the code
- From: "Kent A. Reed" <kentallanreed@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: apt4ssx8@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2013 09:22:54 -0500
On 1/31/2013 12:04 AM, Matt Shaver wrote:
I_think_ that this computer code is either in the public domain, or in
that weird state of being "a Work of the United States Government", or
quite possibly there is no one left who cares what happens.
Gentle persons:
I'm really sorry I'm being a "helicopter" participant hopping in and out
but my attention is focused on my wife's declining well-being. I'll chip
in as I find a free moment.
On this point, we appear stuck in a cleft stick.
The CAM-I was an international organization of companies who paid
serious (to me if not to not them!)) project-specific dues to
participate in each of the various technical work areas. Projects
included "geometric modeling", "sculptured surfaces", and "advanced
N/C". In one chart which I saw, the project-funding breakdown was
approximately 70 percent North America, 26 percent Europe and 4 percent
Japan. As evidence of the international nature of the work, I note the
Sculptured Surfaces Part Programmers Manual
(http://www.catapt.com/APTssman/apt2_www.htm), developed at Cranfield
Institute of Technology, that I mention on my Google Site
(https://sites.google.com/site/manisbutareed/apt-re).
I haven't updated my miniscule description of CAM-I on my Google Site
mostly because my visit to NIST last summer didn't turn up any useful
CAM-I-produced APT material. The Manufacturing Engineering Laboratory at
NIST did participate in CAM-I but that was sooo last century.
I say we're stuck in a cleft stick because CAM-I project deliverables
were first embargoed to the actual project participants (at one point in
time, some 34 members worked on geometric modeling and 14 members on
sculptured surfaces, where member might be an individual or a
multinational corporation). Then, after some reasonable time period,
project deliverables became available to all CAM-I members. This
timed-release mechanism was intended to encourage paid membership in
individual projects and not just in CAM-I itself. Later on, I believe
outsiders could apply to CAM-I to purchase a deliverable such as the
APT/SSX software on a magnetic tape.
Whatever work NASA contributed to CAM-I may indeed by "a work of the
United States Government not subject to copyright" but it has to say so.
In any case, such a statement would cover just NASA's contribution. If
it were work performed under the terms of a CAM-I membership or a CRADA
in force between NASA and CAM-I then its copyright is governed by the
prevailing agreement.
The "M" in CAM-I has long since been changed from Manufacturing to
Management. I have no clue how the new CAM-I regards the products of its
predecessor organization.
I wish people had been more attentive to issues of software copyright,
software fair-use, and such 30 years ago but it was a different time
when the fledgling Internet had not yet become an information highway
and personal computing was just a gleam in the eye of some of us (when
CAM-I was formed I was working with my own homebrew 6502-based computer,
not unlike but less capable than Steve Wozniak's Apple I---some people
are more clever than others!).
I think it prudent to keep our work to ourselves for the time being.
I'm not a lawyer nor do I play one on TV so consider these the idle
musings of an old man.
Regards,
Kent
PS - "not subject to copyright" is equivalent to "public domain".
However, in recent decades, the notion that every work of a USA
government employee is not subject to copyright appears no longer to be
absolute. We have such things as Cooperative Research and Development
Agreements (CRADA), which may impose restrictions.
PPS - I would like to keep my hand in but any contributions will be on
an as-time-permits basis. I may add snippets to my Google Site but my
level of effort will be much less than it was last summer. Feel free to
copy over any useful items that may already be on it. As always,
acknowledgment of the source is appreciated.
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