I am planning on using some math formulas I get from this community in open source projects with a basically completely free use no attribution needed license subject to how close to that license others contributing to this allow (not creative commons if possible), is that legal or allowable? Do I need to ask contributors to give me their formulas directly possibly with whatever terms they want?
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5$\begingroup$ "....subject to how close to that others contributing allow (not creative commons)..." That's unintelligible. Please fix your question so that others don't have to spend time trying to figure out what you are saying/asking. $\endgroup$– JonathanZCommented Aug 19 at 17:00
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$\begingroup$ I am following all advice, why is everything getting down votes and closes? $\endgroup$– maybeJosiahCommented Aug 19 at 17:32
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2$\begingroup$ The downvotes in meta usually mean disagreement with the post, which is different than on the main site $\endgroup$– Тyma GaidashCommented Aug 19 at 17:33
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$\begingroup$ Gotcha, thanks, forgot, anything else I should know? Why is there no meta tour? $\endgroup$– maybeJosiahCommented Aug 19 at 17:34
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$\begingroup$ The tour is probably not significant enough for meta sites when there is already a help center page for it $\endgroup$– Тyma GaidashCommented Aug 19 at 17:36
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$\begingroup$ I think: if the formula is general (i.e. if it is a standard result, or a minor modification of a standard result) then no permission is needed (and you should be able to cite a traditional reference). If, on the other hand, a lot of original work went into the formula, then it is polite to ask if the author would like to be mentioned (and credited). $\endgroup$– luluCommented Aug 19 at 18:35
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$\begingroup$ As I understand it, these will be rather original and according to MSE rules, I must not only credit but distribute as CC which I don't want to do unless I go direct and of course I plan to credit but is it like asking authors like that is ban worthy? $\endgroup$– maybeJosiahCommented Aug 19 at 18:43
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1$\begingroup$ here is a similar question, with links that explain (or claim to explain) the various copyright issues. $\endgroup$– luluCommented Aug 19 at 19:01
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$\begingroup$ Okay so asking authors is sensible and common but that still does not entirely answer this because based on creative commons as I know it, I would have to distribute under CC unless going direct, there is probably further explaining somewhere, if someone finds it can you share? Also, what do I do if as I suspect I will never have enough rep to chat a person? $\endgroup$– maybeJosiahCommented Aug 19 at 19:15
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5$\begingroup$ I think you are asking mathematicians a question that should be directed to lawyers. $\endgroup$– Gerry MyersonCommented Aug 19 at 22:43
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4$\begingroup$ I think you would get more appropriate advice if you were to give two or three examples of formulas you are interested in, because I find it hard to imagine any "formulas" posted in MSE for which this would be an issue. On the other hand, I think it would be appropriately courteous to credit someone for a strikingly unusual exposition or proof. $\endgroup$– Dave L. RenfroCommented Aug 20 at 1:48
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1 Answer
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https://math.stackexchange.com/help/licensing
Everything posted on the StackExchange network is licensed to SE under the CC BY-SA license (depending on when it was posted or edited, different versions might apply; I've linked to a summary of version 4.0). The "SA" stands for "Share Alike", and is summarized by the statement
ShareAlike — If you remix, transform, or build upon the material, you must distribute your contributions under the same license as the original.
Hence any derivative work must also be licensed under CC BY-SA, and you must give appropriate attribution to the original author.
That being said, please also note that (depending on your jurisdiction) mathematical formulӕ do not get copyright protection. I am not a lawyer, nor do I play one on TV, but the US Copyright Office has some information on this: https://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ31.pdf .
Copyright law does not protect ideas, methods, or systems. Copyright protection is therefore not available for ideas or procedures for doing, making, or building things; scientific or technical methods or discoveries; business operations or procedures; mathematical principles; formulas or algorithms; or any other concept, process, or method of operation.
Hence it is possible (though not certain) that you can use certain things found on Math SE without necessarily needing to license that work under CC BY-SA. If you are thinking of taking material from Math SE and slapping any license on it other than CC BY-SA, I would talk to a lawyer with expertise in copyright law.
NB: I am aware of this thread on Math Meta. However, it is (1) more than a decade old, and the answers no longer seem entirely applicable, and (2) this question asks about the use of formulӕ, which have a different place in copyright law, and which are not addressed in the link question nor other similar questions on the site.
answered Aug 19 at 22:14
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$\begingroup$ Thanks, so basically to get what I would prefer either go direct to source bypassing MSE or maybe some loop hole? $\endgroup$ Commented Aug 19 at 23:14
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1$\begingroup$ @maybeJosiah I am not a lawyer. I cannot tell you what you want to know. I can only provide you with the information I have given you. It is up to you to decide what to do with it. $\endgroup$– Xander Henderson ModCommented Aug 20 at 0:13