For Approval: MindTree Public License

[Michael Bernstein]

On Thu, 2005-10-06 at 10:24 +0530, Shahnawaz Khan wrote:
>  
> There is no OSI certified license that is similar to proposed MindTree
> Public License. We want to distribute MindTree IP in OpenSource under
> our own Open Source compliant license. This license will be specific
> to IP developed by MindTree.

[after reading the license]

Speaking as a software developer (I am Not A Lawyer, This Is Not Legal
Advice, etc.): No freaking way.

Section 3 of this license requires anyone distributing derived works
(modifications) to have: "[...] assigned all of Your intellectual
property rights (including copyright and patent rights) in any
Modifications to MindTree. You agree that such assignment shall be
perpetual, worldwide, royalty free and non-revokable."

Not "granted a license" in some form, but "assigned".

Leaving aside the fact that copyright and patent assignments must be
explicitly executed or they aren't worth much (and assorted other
technical problems), this is a completely unwarranted land-grab on the
part of the initial developer.

- Michael Bernstein