[License-discuss] How can we as a community help empower authors outside license agreements?

[McCoy Smith]

From: License-discuss <license-discuss-bounces at lists.opensource.org> On Behalf Of Gil Yehuda via License-discuss
Sent: Thursday, March 19, 2020 8:43 AM
To: Gil Yehuda via License-discuss <license-discuss at lists.opensource.org>
Cc: Gil Yehuda <gyehuda at verizonmedia.com>
Subject: Re: [License-discuss] How can we as a community help empower authors outside license agreements?

 

One of the challenges the Ethical Source Movement will continue to face is related to 'ethical' their nom de net. But it appears to be a distraction for the issues being raised to this list. I urge people who care about ethics to pursue ethical pursuits. The questions posed here, however, have to do with labeling, interpretation, definitions, scope, and who decides what to call things. 

 

 

 

FWIW, using a brand as a mechanism to indicate the ethics of a particular product is not a new concept.  See, e.g., https://www.ethicalconsumer.org/promote-your-business-ethical-consumer

On either this message board, or license-discuss, or Twitter, there were threads floating around about using branding as a mechanism to promote or identify ethical uses of software.  So, you release your code under an OSI-approved (under the current OSD) license, but you may not use the “Ethical Software” or whatever brand or logo with  your software or services unless your uses of the software conformed to the brand requirements (such as, for example, complying with the ESD).  I (and I think Richard Fontana)  had a bit of dialog about whether there could be a “badgeware” type license around “Ethical Software” that would pass the OSD but still allow some sort of brand to indicate conformance with something like the ESD.

Now, if the ESD is too vague or overreaching, then entities will likely not be enthusiastic about the brand or their ability to conform to it.  If it is done right (and, as others have argued, there is a strong consensus of authors and users around ethical software) the brand would have significant value and companies might feel somewhat compelled to conform to the criteria so as to use the brand.

Not sure if the ESD people have thought of that (I’m guessing the answer is yes) but that might be a good first step in a direction that doesn’t raise the hackles of folks who like the current OSD and don’t want to see it change or adapt.

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