Antiwar License

[Nathan Kelley]

To OSI License Discussion subscribers,

> From: Sergey Goldgaber <sgoldgaber at yahoo.com>,

> A recent Slashdot article, "U.S. Army's Future Combat System Will Run 
> Linux", 
> http://slashdot.org/articles/03/03/02/0216215.shtml?tid=103&tid=163 
> has made me wonder if there could be some way to prevent the military 
> from using software that you release as open source.
>
> Some licenses allow free use of the author's software by private 
> individuals and non profits, but require a fee to be paid by 
> corporations.  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?
>
> In addition to helping make sure that the work you do does not 
> contribute to murder (in some direct or even indirect fashion), an 
> Antiwar License would be a powerful political statement that I believe 
> could catch on rather quickly in the current atmosphere of protest.
>
> However, INAL, and was wondering if any of the more experienced people 
> on this list think this is a feasable idea, or perhaps could even 
> suggest some possible wordings that such a license could use.

There are three practical problems with this scenario.

As others have pointed out:

* The license would be essentially unenforceable.

* The license would not be open-source as it would violate the OSD's 
terms.

I would like to add:

* The license would serve to undermine the credibility and integrity of 
open-source.

Many authors in the open-source industry, generally being individuals, 
have been stereotyped in years gone by as either PFY's (usually 
students) or as old, fat, bearded (only for men, of course) people, the 
twain alike spending way too much time behind their computers.

This is of course patently false, and we can all attest to this. But 
these stereotypes have only been turned around in recent years in the 
eyes of the public due to powerful, stable, and cost-effective 
deliverables, mostly Linux-based, being delivered by reputable 
companies and businessmen.

A license such as this would go against the latter turnaround in 
perception, and help to reinforce the former stereotypes: "Excellent 
developers, but do we need to listen another student protest?"

My opinion only, but this issue goes beyond the comfortable confines of 
this list topic.

Cheers, Nathan.

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