winboard images copyright question

[shaxmatist]

I am interested in writing a photo-quiz on a "trivia" website (funtrivia.com) and would like to know if Winboard diagrams, board positions, etc. may be freely used for this purpose. For example, would resultant diagrams be considered public domain, my own photos, or something else?

Thank you so much for your help.

[H.G.Muller]

Well, I am no lawyer, but WinBoard is free software, without any restrictions on its use. The GPL only attaches conditions for changing the code.

I would think that publishing pictures is just one form of fair use. I have published screenshots of WinBoard many times, and no one ever complained.

Officially the built-in bitmaps of the orthodox Chess pieces are based on a font we don't own the copyright of, but for which have irrevocable permission to distribute with WinBoard. (The unorthodox pieces are all mine, and public domain.)

You certainly won't get any trouble from me.