Obtaining Author's Permission to Use Code a Public Domain Application

[PDfan]

Hi everyone - I'm a first-timer here -
I have a question. I recently found a really neat project on Github (a source-code repository) but the source-code had no license associated with it (or in the code itself).
I poke around with doing a few small apps that I release as "public domain", and I'm interested in using some code from this person's project. So I contacted him - this is what I asked, and his reply -
Me - "I'm keen to use some of the (project name) code to do a small "public domain"
interpreter, so would that be ok with you? ( I'd certainly give credit to you, no problem there....) "
Him - "Sure, you can assume everything in this acc is in PD, use whatever you like."

So, what is the legal situation here? He seems to have given permission, so am I legally free to use some of his code in my app, and then release the app as "public domain"?

I should mention that my **main interest** in his code is the very nice "structure" and "method" that he has used in his code. It is *that* that I am interested in using (copying).

I would modify his code somewhat - his code is for an interpreter for language "A", and mine would be for language "B" (but using a similar "approach"). Does the fact that I would be doing an interpreter for another language help the situation in legal terms?

Many thanks for your time! Looking forward to your replies - bye for now -
- PDfan

[LawResearcherMissy]

So, what is the legal situation here? He seems to have given permission, so am I legally free to use some of his code in my app, and then release the app as "public domain"?

Yep, he has not only given you permission, he has clarified that everything that he has published at Github is in the Public Domain. So you can use his code outright, modify it, or both, and release your app.

Be nice, though, and credit his work as that which you derived yours from. PD folks like the recognition.

[PDfan]

Yep, he has not only given you permission, he has clarified that everything that he has published at Github is in the Public Domain. So you can use his code outright, modify it, or both, and release your app.

Be nice, though, and credit his work as that which you derived yours from. PD folks like the recognition.

Hi LawResearcherMissy - thanks very much for that!
Sounds good! I will indeed give him credit - he writes very nice code.
Thanks again - bye for now -
PDfan