Advice releasing my new, free Cocoa app!

[Littleodie914]

Hey guys, you've always been a huge help when it came to learning Cocoa, fixing bugs, etc., so I figured in the last stage of the development process you again would be the ones to come to.

Here're the basics:
I'm releasing a free, Cocoa app, and just want to make sure I've got all the copyright stuff figured out. It's a free app I've been developing as I learn Cocoa, and would like to make it available to everyone.

A couple things I've been tussling with:
Can I put "Copyright 2006 Craig Otis" if I don't have a copyright? Should I release it under the GPL? Or should I just toss it on my site with the copyright stuff on there and not make my source code available?

I really didn't want to post my source code, but saw no other available solution if I was planning on using the GPL. Thanks!!

 

[clevin]

if the codes are all written by yourself, you don't have to do GPL. just put it on your website, let ppl download for free.
for license issue: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_software_licenses

 

[iMeowbot]

A couple things I've been tussling with:
Can I put "Copyright 2006 Craig Otis" if I don't have a copyright?

If you wrote it, you have a copyright and can put that on there if you wish. It's a good idea, just to let people know, but it's not required these days. Also, the government paperwork is nice to have in a few specific situations, but it's not really a requirement unless you wind up in court.

Should I release it under the GPL? Or should I just toss it on my site with the copyright stuff on there and not make my source code available?

I really didn't want to post my source code, but saw no other available solution if I was planning on using the GPL. Thanks!!

If you want to use GPL, you have to at least offer to give the source code to anyone who gets the executable version. That's the whole point of GPL, to make source available. If you don't want to do that, use a different license.