For Approval: The Simplified BSD License

[David Woolley]

Dag-Erling Smørgrav wrote:
> David Woolley <forums at david-woolley.me.uk> writes:
>> I don't like the word "Simplified". It has connotations of dumbing
>> down. I think BSD Licence without Endorsements Clause would be much
>> clearer.
> 
> You must be one of those people who think "short bus" has connotations
> of mental disability...  :)
> 

A recent example, from this list, of "simple" meaning dumbed down is the 
SimPL.  Dumbed down is a phrase often used of public service 
broadcasters in the UK, and it means reducing the intellectual content 
(by analogy the legal language) in order to attract a larger audience. 
Yes, it is somewhat perjorative, as it implies that the result does less 
to educate and inform the audience.

The other problem with such titles, in the general case, is they are in 
marketing language, like "new improved".  For this licence, it is 
difficult to take much more out of it, but, in general, once you've 
simplified once, what do you call it the next time you take a clause out?

-- 
David Woolley
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