Java Model Railroad Interface

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Java Model Railroad Interface (JMRI) is an open source program for model railroad hobbyists, released under GNU General Public License v2. It allows users to control LED lights, horn, or switch the railway of hobbyist open-source or commercials closed-sourced trains.

Open-source software software licensed to ensure source code usage rights

Open-source software (OSS) is a type of computer software in which source code is released under a license in which the copyright holder grants users the rights to study, change, and distribute the software to anyone and for any purpose. Open-source software may be developed in a collaborative public manner. Open-source software is a prominent example of open collaboration.

GNU General Public License set of free software licenses

The GNU General Public License is a widely-used free software license, which guarantees end users the freedom to run, study, share and modify the software. The license was originally written by Richard Stallman of the Free Software Foundation (FSF) for the GNU Project, and grants the recipients of a computer program the rights of the Free Software Definition. The GPL is a copyleft license, which means that derivative work can only be distributed under the same license terms. This is in distinction to permissive free software licenses, of which the BSD licenses and the MIT License are widely-used examples. GPL was the first copyleft license for general use.

Contents

JMRI is a suite of tools distributed via a single download. The two most popular tools are DecoderPro for programming Digital Command Control (DCC) decoders, and PanelPro for controlling layouts.

In computer networks, download means to receive data from a remote system, typically a server such as a web server, an FTP server, an email server, or other similar systems. This contrasts with uploading, where data is sent to a remote server. A download is a file offered for downloading or that has been downloaded, or the process of receiving such a file.

Digital Command Control (DCC) is a standard for a system to operate model railways digitally. When equipped with Digital Command Control, locomotives on the same electrical section of track can be independently controlled.

Starting in 2005. JMRI's project administrator, Bob Jacobsen, was involved in a legal dispute with Matt Katzer in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. Significantly, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled that infringing on the copyright of open source-software by violating its license terms could result in monetary damages. [1] The case was settled in early 2010. [2]

<i>Jacobsen v. Katzer</i>

Jacobsen v. Katzer was a lawsuit between Robert Jacobsen (plaintiff) and Matthew Katzer (defendant), filed March 13, 2006 in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. The case addressed claims on copyright, patent invalidity, cybersquatting, and Digital Millennium Copyright Act issues arising from Jacobsen under an open source license developing control software for model trains.

United States District Court for the Northern District of California

The United States District Court for the Northern District of California is the federal United States district court whose jurisdiction comprises following counties of California: Alameda, Contra Costa, Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Monterey, Napa, San Benito, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, and Sonoma. The court hears cases in its courtrooms in Eureka, Oakland, San Francisco, and San Jose. It is headquartered in San Francisco.

United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit

The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit is a United States court of appeals headquartered in Washington, D.C. The court was created by Congress with passage of the Federal Courts Improvement Act of 1982, which merged the United States Court of Customs and Patent Appeals and the appellate division of the United States Court of Claims, making the judges of the former courts into circuit judges. The Federal Circuit is particularly known for its decisions on patent law, as it is the only appellate-level court with the jurisdiction to hear patent case appeals.

See also

Jacobsen v. Katzer

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References

  1. "Appeal from the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on August 27, 2009. Retrieved 2009-10-03.
  2. . "A Big Victory for F/OSS: Jacobsen v. Katzer is Settled"
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