Skip to content

Legal Issues

Jump to bottom
Johnny Hyman edited this page Nov 1, 2024 · 10 revisions

Licensing Agreements and Third-Party Software

  • JavaScript/CSS/other coding languages are open-standard technologies. Some libraries/frameworks may have their own licenses
  • Frameworks: React Native, react, and many other third-party libraries use open-source libraries
  • Services: Firebase has its own terms and conditions and is free to use
  • APIs: Google's map APIs have a free tier that can reach a monthly cost. Both are free to use for commercial purposes. USC's API for classes provided by classes.sc.edu is made freely available to anyone.

Intellectual Property Constraints

  • Information about professors and buildings are public resources and therefore not subject to any intellectual property constraints
  • Libraries utilized are open-source which eliminates any intellectual property constraints

The code within Cocky's Way application shall not intentionally use code from other authors that could be considered novel or unique without crediting those authors. Our code will focus on building a new program using knowledge gathered during our research, credited APIs, and other tools open to public use. We understand that minor modifications, lack of attribution, and mosaic plagiarism (combining code from multiple sources) is not permitted nor acceptable. Any IP will be used with permission, under fair use, GNU GPL, or from other legal and ethical sources.

Preventing Illegal Use

  • Implementing user agreements at account creation
  • Strong authentication and encryption to protect user data
  • Using established and reputable APIs and hosting services

Fair Use

Cocky's Way may experience issues with the very name of the app. However, the application is being used in the context of academia. Per UofSC's own website- "Educational use probably will be considered fair use as long as the other principals of fair use (nature, amount, effect on market) are not violated." Additionally, the trademarks that may be used constitute a small portion of the app, which is not being used for the purpose of profit. Therefore, it is unlikely that the usage of the name "Cocky" will be viewed as infringement. https://sc.edu/about/notices/copyrights_and_trademarks/

Disclaimer:

Absolutely none of the content within this page constitutes legal advice. Neither myself nor my fellow developers practice law, nor are we otherwise involved or qualified in the legal profession.

Cockys-Way

Clone this wiki locally