# Code copying and reuse from Base

**URL:** https://discourse.julialang.org/t/code-copying-and-reuse-from-base/1598
**Category:** General Usage
**Tags:** question, licenses
**Created:** [January 19, 2017, 9:43pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/code-copying-and-reuse-from-base/1598 "2017-01-19T21:43:17Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![nsmith](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/nsmith/32/979_2.png) [@nsmith](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/nsmith)
#### Post date: [January 19, 2017, 9:43pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/code-copying-and-reuse-from-base/1598/1 "2017-01-19T21:43:17Z")

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There is a function in `Base` called `show_unquoted` that I would like to copy and very slightly modify for use in a package I am building. Now, if I was writing a paper this would be blatant plagiarism so whats the deal in the realm of software? Is this possible with explicit permission? Never possible?

What should I person do in this circumstance?

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### Author: ![ChrisRackauckas](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/chrisrackauckas/32/77_2.png) [@ChrisRackauckas](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/ChrisRackauckas)
#### Post date: [January 19, 2017, 9:50pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/code-copying-and-reuse-from-base/1598/2 "2017-01-19T21:50:19Z")

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See the license.

[https://github.com/JuliaLang/julia/blob/master/LICENSE.md](https://github.com/JuliaLang/julia/blob/master/LICENSE.md)

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### Author: ![dpsanders](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/dpsanders/32/3573_2.png) [@dpsanders](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/dpsanders)
#### Post date: [January 19, 2017, 11:02pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/code-copying-and-reuse-from-base/1598/3 "2017-01-19T23:02:25Z")

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It is plagiarism only if you don’t acknowledge the source.