Help in choosing appropriate open-source license...

[Ernest Prabhakar]

> [3] The additional complication is that a large company can use the  
> server
> without ever distributing it, and there do not seem to be any open- 
> source
> license that deals with code that is run on a server-farm and not
> distributed. There is no web  page - the only externally 'visible'  
> portion
> is the audio that the speech application plays out.

The only well-known license I know of that has "app server"  
restrictions is the Affero license:

http://www.affero.org/oagpl.html

But, I don't remember if that was Open Source or not.  Anything  
stronger than that would probably not be.

-- Ernie P.

P.S.  Yeah, the APSL does too, but its not recommended for re-use.

On Feb 14, 2006, at 12:07 PM, Tony R wrote:

> Folks:
>
> I've read through the FAQ and some licenses, but I am afraid I need  
> some
> more help in understanding this issue:
>
> [1] I have a speech application server I wish to release open-source
> [2] Ideally, I'd like to do it like MySQL does it - open source for  
> anyone,
> and charged for large companies. (Note that worst-case, I can drop  
> this
> requirement, because I feel it is a genuine step forward for the  
> speech
> application industry, and the benefits to the industry on balance  
> exceed the
> private benefit I may derive. Of course, I'd prefer not to.)
> [3] The additional complication is that a large company can use the  
> server
> without ever distributing it, and there do not seem to be any open- 
> source
> license that deals with code that is run on a server-farm and not
> distributed. There is no web  page - the only externally 'visible'  
> portion
> is the audio that the speech application plays out.
>
> Can you recommend a license that could fit this case?  
> Alternatively, are
> there licenses in the works that might apply? If not, how do I go  
> about
> crafting such a license?
>
> Much thanks...
>
> --Tony