Community certification complementary currency license (CCCCL)

[Ernest Prabhakar]

On Nov 15, 2004, at 7:46 AM, Bernhard Fastenrath wrote:
> I intent to launch a complementary currency system similar to the
> swiss WIR system (http://www.wir.ch/) in germany.
>
> The software will be licensed to the user on the basis that the user 
> complies with the rules of the community.
>
> For customers and for merchants this will require them to adhere a set 
> of sustainability rules which can be configured by the community using 
> the system. The individual has a democratic vote in this configuration 
> of the requirements the system places on the users.
>
> http://eco.internet-currency.net/
>
> Is this an acceptable restriction for an open source license?

I doubt it.   This sounds to me more like what's called a 'Community 
Source' license, where there's some extrinsic boundary on who's allowed 
to use the source.  The whole notion of open source is that it is an 
unbounded community.  Community Source probably has its place, but it 
shouldn't be confused with open source.

You certainly have some creative and interesting ideas, but I worry 
that you don't seem to quite "get' what open source means.  The point  
of open source (IMHO) is to empower a maximal community of innovators; 
this may or may not require source redistribution, but it does require 
NOT imposing restrictions on use or access.

-- Ernie P.
IANAL, TINLA, TINAAA