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How ethical to use Javascript libraries that are available on the net?

by clxkzj
2 replies
I want to do something with JavaScript on my website but don't know how to implement it, but i've found it has already been written by someone and is available to download free as they've put it on net.

So is it right morally to use something that someone has already been written? does this count as cheating? does it infringe any copyright?
#ethical #javascript #libraries #net
  • Profile picture of the author ryanstreet
    Welcome to the world of Open Source. It is OK to use it if they make it distributable online. Open source means that you can look at and reuse the source code of a script or page or other digital material.

    To answer your question, you are not cheating. Expert top level designers and programmers use them everyday.

    Wordpres, Joomla, Drupal, PHPBB, Jquery, ProtoType, half of what Google puts out there, and so on are all open source and widely used everyday.

    I hope this helps.
    Signature
    Ryan Street
    PHP Developer Specializing in WordPress and Magento
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    • Profile picture of the author xiaophil
      Sig link spam? Good question anyway.

      Originally Posted by ryanstreet View Post

      It is OK to use it if they make it distributable online.
      Whoa tiger!

      That doesn't automatically make it OK.

      Find out the specific license that the code is distributed under, then read the terms of that license. It will tell you what you can and cannot do.

      If the license is not clear, then write the author to clarify it or if he has placed his code in the public domain.

      Do your due diligence lest you end up on the rough end of a lawsuit.
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