Antiwar License

[Sergey Goldgaber]

--- Rick Moen <rick at linuxmafia.com> wrote:
>
> Quoting Sergey Goldgaber (sgoldgaber at yahoo.com):
> 
> > Along similar lines, wouldn't it be possible to create a license
> > prohibiting the use of one's software by the military, the
> > Defense Department, and military contractors?
> 
> If your question is whether it's possible to write an OSI-approved
> licence of that sort (and thus to qualify covered software for the
> "OSI Certified" certification mark), I would say it isn't, as that
> would clearly violate OSD provision 5 (No Discrimination Against
> Persons or Groups) and provision 6 (No Discrimination Against
> Fields of Endeavor).
> 
> If you're asking whether it's possible to write a licence that's
> not OSD-compliant (i.e., _not_ open source), then I have no
> comment.

I see.  It is unfortunate that a license that prohibits military use or
it's use for murder could not be OSI Certified.  Perhaps, instead of
prohibiting such use entirely and OSI-compliant license could charge a
fee for such use.  After all, some software is made available for free
for educational and private use while charging a fee for corporate use.
 Could a fee then be charged for military use or use by the Department
of Defense, or its contractors?  And, if so, is there any provision in
the OSD against charging them, say, 100 times the GDP of the United
States Government for such use?  Could such a license achieve OSI
Certification?


  --Sergey


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