He’s not wrong, but I would argue a better model is the Derivative Work. This already exists in copyright law.
If I write a space opera that is a LOT like Star Wars there are major legal implications to this. If I write an original work of science fiction involving a weapon that destroys planets as an allegory to the history of the atomic bomb, I’m probably in the clear even if one of the characters is a furry alien with a laser sword.
The challenge now is how to apply that framework when nobody can see the original or resulting code.
[−]chaosharmonic · 2026-11-15 Sun 16:44 UTC ·
link
Derivative works still have their own copyrights, though. For instance, Kouta Hirano might own Hellsing, but that doesn't automatically mean that he owns enthusiastic walks through the woods, "bitch I eat people," or High School of the Dead.
If I write a space opera that is a LOT like Star Wars there are major legal implications to this. If I write an original work of science fiction involving a weapon that destroys planets as an allegory to the history of the atomic bomb, I’m probably in the clear even if one of the characters is a furry alien with a laser sword.
The challenge now is how to apply that framework when nobody can see the original or resulting code.