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Unfortunately, just because code is open source doesn't mean that there aren't terms of use attached with it. One of the simplest and most widely used terms is
by ghoward 5y ago
Unfortunately, just because code is open source doesn't mean that there aren't terms of use attached with it. One of the simplest and most widely used terms is attribution.
This means that if Copilot does not attribute code when it copies and modifies it, then it is violating most open source licenses. Full stop.
- greatgib 5y agoMy point is that somehow, it is not copilot that is violating the licenses, but the code that is generated is. So, if you just use copilot to generate random things, you are ok. But if you try to use the generated code for anything: distribution, selling, eventually usage. Then, you are violating the licenses in the same way as you took yourself the parts of code to reuse. It is possible users of copilot that should avoid that or be very careful to check any line produced (that is almost impossible). Also, by itself, copying one or two lines of code can hardly be limited by copyright. But, as we so, copilot can spit big full block of code from existing projects.
- ghoward 5y agoYou have good points, but I would argue that Copilot itself is the entity distributing copyrighted code since there are times when it copies code verbatim. That puts the legal onus on Copilot itself.