A separate program for license recommendation

[Tobia Conforto]

Hi all

It's been clear from recent discussions that many would try to construe
the OSI certification mark for what it is not: a recommendation to use
the license for a new open source project.  It is also likely that many
people erroneously see the certification mark as such.  I think this
problem needs to be addressed.

I also see how the present certification program has always been
conducted on a objective basis, as a plain recognition that a given
license meets the terms identified in the OSD.  Most agree that the
program's goals cannot—and must not—deviate from this original mission.

Therefore I would like to propose the establishment of a new, subsidiary
certification program, with the following goals: to subjectively state
that, according to the OSI members and the community as a whole, a
certain license is "well written", plays well with the existing open
source commons, and can be recommended for adoption over other certified
(but not recommended) licenses.

The new program's goals should clearly identify that this new mark—in
contrast to the main program!—would have a subjective meaning, that it
would be granted by the OSI board after extensive public discussion, on
the basis of apparent majority views on the supposed good or bad effects
of the specific license, both in itself and in relation to other
licenses.

This new certification program could also carry out the goals of the
license proliferation effort more effectively, without sacrificing the
objectiveness of the main certification mark.

It could be called "Open Source Recommended License" or something to
that effect.

What do you think?


Tobia Conforto