Simple Public License, Please Review

[Rod Dixon, J.D., LL.M.]

Justin,

I just took a look at the SPL. Your efforts are laudable. This is not easy
stuff.

We may be able to offer better assistance if you posted sections to the list
one at a time with the text and the explanation for the text. (But,
remember, nothing beats the assistance of a paid lawyer).

In the spirit of academic discussion, I am willing to contribute some
assitance to your efforts. To ensure that a software license works for you
and not against you, you must choose your words very carefully. Some of the
language in the SPL is not clear enough, but let's take it step by step.

First, could you tell us what your framework is. By that I mean, what are
you trying to accomplish and why? It's clear that you are promoting free
spftware, but it is not clear why you seem to want a weak copyleft. Also,
please do not forget to explain your use of the term "unmodified" in section
1. It is confusing.

Rod Dixon, J.D., LL.M.
www.cyberspaces.org
rod at cyberspaces.org


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Justin Wells [mailto:jread at semiotek.com]
> Sent: Tuesday, April 04, 2000 4:00 PM
> To: license-discuss at opensource.org
> Subject: Simple Public License, Please Review
>
>
> It's been a long time since I last posted a version of this
> license, and it
> has changed a lot since then. I thought I would post it again and get some
> comments from this list.
>
> This license lives here:
>
>    http://shimari.com/SPL/
>
> and will eventually be the primary license for Semiotek's software, which
> so far has been under the GPL.
>
> I'm attaching three files:
>
>   -- an explanation of why this license exists and what it does
>   -- a copy of the license
>   -- some clause by clause analysis of my reasonings for the terms
>
> I'm looking for three kinds of comments:
>
>   -- legal problems with the license
>   -- OSD compliance problems
>   -- ideas on how it could be improved, strengthened, etc.
>
> Thanks for your help!
>
> Justin
>
>