License Committee Report for May 2007

[Russ Nelson]

The OSI board met yesterday, and the board accepted all
recommendations except the first.  We:

Rejected the SimPL because it intends to solve the same problem as
the GPL yet is incompatible with the GPL.  If the authors want to
revise their license so that it is GPL-compatible (as is the Artistic
License), then we will be happy to reconsider.

Approved the ECL2 and Artistic2.

Rejected the CPDDL for commercial restrictions.

Russ Nelson writes:
 > I'm the chair of the license approval committee.  This is my report
 > for the current set of licenses under discussion.
 > 
 > --
 > 
 > Title: Simple Public License (SimPL):
 > Submission: 
 >   http://crynwr.com/cgi-bin/ezmlm-cgi?3:sss:12796:200705:ljlcebgacpjodogfcegi
 > Revised here:
 >   http://crynwr.com/cgi-bin/ezmlm-cgi?3:msn:12796:ljlcebgacpjodogfcegi
 > License: http://www.law.washington.edu/CASRIP/License/SimplePublicLicense.html
 > Comments: Intended to be a simplified GPL.  DiBona suggests that the
 >     GPL is well understood and this license is not useful.
 > Recommend: approval, placement in Redundant category.
 > 
 > --
 > 
 > Title: Educational Community License (ECL 2.0):
 > Submission: 
 >   http://crynwr.com/cgi-bin/ezmlm-cgi?3:sss:12757:200705:pinhehafopjimikjkpki
 > and the submittor's summary of discussion:
 >   http://crynwr.com/cgi-bin/ezmlm-cgi?3:sss:12794:200705:cljjpgeldckepijfbgjb
 > 
 > License:
 >   https://www.collabtools.org/access/content/user/chris.coppola@rsmart.com/ecl2.txt
 >     but it's easier to read the version resubmitted here:
 >   http://crynwr.com/cgi-bin/ezmlm-cgi?3:msp:12746:pinhehafopjimikjkpki
 > 
 > Comments: This license is one sentence short of being Apache.  They
 >     plan to retire the ECL 1.1 when this license is approved.  Brian
 >     objects in principle but understands why they're not Apache.  Matt
 >     points out that implicit patent grant in "use" of 1.1 is greater than
 >     explicit grant in 2.0.
 > Recommend: approval, replacement of ECL 1.1
 > 
 > --
 > 
 > Title: Socialtext Public License ("STPL"):
 > Submission: 
 >   http://crynwr.com/cgi-bin/ezmlm-cgi?3:sss:12652:200703:ddflneepifdnbhkgfeln
 > Recommend: withdrawn by submittor in email sent to me today.
 > 
 > --
 > 
 > Title: Artistic License 2.0:
 > Submission: 
 >   http://crynwr.com/cgi-bin/ezmlm-cgi?3:sss:12636:200703:aaaiclffjeamnghfcijk
 > License: http://foundation.perl.org/legal/licenses/artistic-2_0-plain.html
 > Comments: John approves.
 > Recommend: approval, replacement of Artistic License.
 > 
 > --
 > 
 > Title: Common Precertification Development and Distribution License (CPDDL)
 > Submission: 
 >   http://crynwr.com/cgi-bin/ezmlm-cgi?3:sss:12600:200703:gckfocofecifgfklmmmg
 > Comments:  Matt, Larry, and Chuck all point out that restrictions on
 >     commercial use do not comply with the OSD, even if they disappear
 >     in time.
 > Recommend: rejection, but we should encourage people to use this
 >     license anyway because it will result in more code eventually
 >     falling under an open source license (LGPL).
 > 
 > --
 > 
 > Title: Generic Attribution Provision (GAP)
 >   http://crynwr.com/cgi-bin/ezmlm-cgi?3:sss:11984:200612:jfkjkakegkfbihlhcbbn
 > with the bulk of the discussion here:
 >   http://crynwr.com/cgi-bin/ezmlm-cgi?3:sss:12392:200701:oiccemjkkoffgnlmoebm
 > Recommend: withdrawn by submittor in email sent to me today.
 > 
 > -- 
 > --my blog is at    http://blog.russnelson.com   | In my head, I'm
 > Crynwr sells support for free software  | PGPok | violating your
 > 521 Pleasant Valley Rd. | +1 315-323-1241       | software patent.
 > Potsdam, NY 13676-3213  |     Sheepdog          | So sue me!