[cc-licenses] Compatibility of Attribution license with Trialware

Terry Hancock hancock at anansispaceworks.com
Fri Sep 29 01:52:46 EDT 2006


Phil Jaquet wrote:
>  I am creating a commercial PC game that I intend to distribute on
>  various download sites as trialware (i.e. users will be able to play
>  for a few hours before the software expires and asks them to purchase
>  the game.)
>
>  I have found some beautiful images and music distributed under the CC
>  Attribution license and was wondering if I can use them safely in my
>  game (of course giving proper attribution on the credits page.)

First of all, a CC copyleft probably doesn't extend to cover this kind of
inclusion (it might be necessary to make the original works accessible,
regardless of the license/trial status of your program).

Secondly, CC-By isn't copyleft to begin with, so you can re-release it under
a more restrictive license (CC-By is very nearly equivalent to public domain
work that way. You need only be certain that you are meeting the attribution
requirement).  There is also the anti-DRM requirement that is being hotly
discussed on list.  Arguably you might need to make it possible to get the
original art or music so as not to run afoul of that requirement.  Of 
course,
that's pretty trivial to do.

So, I'd say you're in safe territory.

Cheers,
Terry

(IANAL...)


-- 
Terry Hancock (hancock at AnansiSpaceworks.com)
Anansi Spaceworks http://www.AnansiSpaceworks.com




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