Why do you need copy-back?

[Chris Zumbrunn]

On Apr 25, 2005, at 5:48 PM, Bruce Perens wrote:

> Why do you need copy-back? If there is an active Open Source 
> development
> on a product, and there is a source distribution requirement, it is
> likely that you can find the source. Only in the case that the product
> is deployed and _not_ distributed, for example in the ASP model, would
> this term become important. Take a look at the (admittedly clunky) way
> that this is addressed in the "Affero GPL".

Yes, in the case of the ASP model, but also in the case of 
inhouse-deployment. Or if the product is embedded in a proprietary 
larger work (or in general modified and distributed without source 
code), which the Copyback license would allow.

The Copyback license would grant certain freedoms that the GPL does 
not, but limit some others that the GPL does grant. At the same time it 
would keep code "more free" than the BSD (in the GPL way of thinking).

/czv