software open-source-software
Is an artifact generated by a software under the same license if not explicitly stated?
<p>The current example is to generate an audio file with spoken text using a speech synthesizer and a voice, which both are licensed under a proprietary or open source license. </p>

<p>Assuming the license does not explicitly state about the license of the generated artifacts, which legal status will the artifacts have?</p>

<p>Your output (audio recording of spoken text) is obviously a derived work of the unspoken text. With current high-quality voices, using samples recorded by a human speaker and not just algorithms, your output also most likely contains large parts of the voice itself, and would therefore be a derived work. In that case, you would need a license to create the derived work (the spoken text), and a license to make copies of the derived work (distributing the spoken text). </p>

<p>If the voice synthesizer is plainly algorithmic, you wouldn't need a license. If there is a debate and things go to court, you would probably need some expert witnesses to testify whether the spoken test <em>is</em> indeed a derived work or not, because it might not be obvious. </p>

<p>So you'd want a license permitting your use to be on the safe side. Especially if you think your spoken text could be a derived work of the voice. </p>

<h2>The software</h2>

<p>The licence on the software has no impact on the output. Even if you are using the software illegally, that doesn’t affect the output - if you write a novel using an illegal Microsoft Word, you own the copyright.</p>

<h2>The input</h2>

<p>However, your rights to the output <em>are</em> affected by the status of the input.</p>

<p>If there is no creativity in the operation, that is, the output is always the same for the same input, then the output <em>is</em> the input as far as the copyright is concerned - it’s just a change of format like translating from a jpeg to a bmp.</p>

<p>However, if there is some creative input, for example, if the output changes by changing parameters, then the output is a <em>derivative</em> work with its own copyright.</p>

<p>In both cases, however, you have to have permission to make copies - because you own the copyright, have a licence or it’s fair use/dealing.</p>
