A prototype License Wizard up and running

[John Cowan]

Bruce Perens scripsit:

> You can actually get this down to three licenses, with terms on 
> derivative works classified as:

I thought of that, but GPL-compatibility is an issue to a lot of people.

> *Enforced sharing:* Terms must apply to all derivative works, and the 
> license terms are such that callers of the code are considered 
> derivative. This is what Rosen calls a /Reciprocal/ license in his book.

This is the FSF's view of the GPL, but not Rosen's view of it.

> *Gift:* Rosen calls this an /Academic /license. No significant 
> requirements other than attribution.

Agreed.

> *Share-Gift mix*: Sharing terms apply to a separable work such as a 
> library, but not to a larger derivative work.

The OSL looks like the GPL, but Rosen's interpretation puts it in
effect in the same class as the MPL/CPL/CDDL.

> Having selected licenses for those three sets of terms, you can apply 
> them to all of these common business purposes for Open Source. I have 
> stated them as /goals,/ rather than the way you stated them which would 
> be difficult for people to understand.

It depends on whether the audience is business people or developers.
I was aiming at developers, being one myself.  There is also no reason
why there should be only one wizard.

> Sharing mandiatory*: the GPL. I was going to try Rosen's OSL for this, 
> but Rosen insists that the OSL would not disallow a proprietary 
> application from using an OSL library and I am currently looking for a 
> tightly-binding license as an alternative to the GPL. Any suggestions?

See, the wording won't help you.  It's a matter of whether you interpret
works which include library works as derivative works or not, and that's
in the purview of the law, not the license.

-- 
John Cowan                                jcowan at reutershealth.com
At times of peril or dubitation,          http://www.ccil.org/~cowan
Perform swift circular ambulation,        http://www.reutershealth.com
With loud and high-pitched ululation.