I have uploaded DTFCooker to Github. DTFCooker is a command line tool that generates parameters to use when sketching up type ideas. DTFCooker is based on Erik van Blokland’s TypeCooker, with less Noordzijzian logic, and is more inclined to inspire display fonts than text or workhorse fonts. It is open-source with a BSD license.
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But now that I think about it, I did work some of that stuff into my cooker. The original version didn’t really address pens and contrast. In 2.0 Pens and contrast are there, but it also throws curve balls.
And anyway, Erik has already released an open-source version of his own code under the MIT license. Given that I doubt he’s going to be offended that I wrote my own code instead of forking his.
Now, it might have been polite to drop Erik a note that said 'Hey, I dig your TypeCooker and want to write my own version that does things a bit differently. Any problem with that?', since James' script seems to be clearly inspired by Erik's. That's a question of manners, not permission. If we were talking about open-source type design instead of open-source scripting, then I'd say it would definitely have been polite to contact the original designer, since that is the ethical culture of our community (and perhaps why some people are upset with James). I've no idea what the ethical culture of open-source programming normally expects in this regard: maybe James' actions would be frowned on there too, but then again maybe they are within the pale.
That includes the license. I've never asked an author permission to use work under an open license (whether MIT, GPL, Apache, BSD, Creative Commons, etc.) Nor will I. Authors who release work under an open license must do so by choice. Therefore they have already accepted the burdens & benefits of that choice.
Let's say I design a typeface and create a font that I release under the OFL license. That license permits anyone else to make modications, extensions and derivative fonts based on that font. But what if someone instead creates his or her own font, not decompiling or using any of my data, but in a style that is clearly and closely derivative of my design, and then releases it under his or her choice of license. I can imagine that a great many people would presume that this would be okay on the grounds that my font is open-source, but unless my license specifically covers the design as well as the font software, it may in fact be contrary to my wishes and, if design patents or other jurisdiction-specific design protection is in play, a legal issue.
I think that James was polite enough by acknowledging the inspiration of Erik's script.
Perhaps it is in the absence of better protection for typeface designs -- as distinct from their implementation as computer font software -- that as a community we tend to be ethically sensitive to how we treat each others' work, even when that work is a script, a tool, rather than a type design?
It's just James’ version of it and that's why he called it this way. If Erik should complain, James should take it down or rename it, but other than that, it's really not a big deal.
Code snippets are shared all the time within a certain field. No big deal. Look at the code! There is »intellectual property« in there.