If I release some code and binaries, but I don't include any license at all with it, what are the legal terms that apply by default (in the US, where I am). I know that I automatically have copyright without doing anything, but what restrictions are there on it?
If I upload my code to github and announce it as a free download / contribute at will, then are people allowed to modify and close source my work? I haven't said that they cannot, as a GPL would, but I don't feel that it would by default be acceptable to steal my work either.
So what can and cannot people do with code that is freely available, but has absolutely no licensing terms attached?
Best Answer
Without a license, companies and individuals may be reluctant to use your code, because you don't grant them specific rights to do so.
Even when you put the code into the public domain, you are granting rights to use. So you might as well make a statement of acceptable use that is acceptable to you.
Without such a statement or license, there is nothing preventing people from using your code in whatever way they see fit. There is, of course, nothing preventing bad people from violating your license, but most good people and companies will respect your terms if you tell them what those terms are.
In short: you should have some form of license, even if that license grants unrestricted use.