[License-review] For Approval: License Zero Reciprocal Public License

[Kyle Mitchell]

On 2017-10-23 23:10, Simon Phipps wrote:
> I cannot envisage any circumstances where limiting mere use (i.e. without
> distribution or other making available) would be acceptable in an open
> source/free software license, whether the code was unchanged or had been
> improved.

We've reached the core question again.

As succinctly as I can:

1. Why are net-freedom-enhancing conditions on distribution
   permitted, but net-freedom-enhancing conditions on use
   prohibited?

2. What's the basis in OSD for that distinction?  Or does it
   come from an unarticulated policy concern?

3. What's the difference between "distribution" and "use",
   anyway?  (We're using "distribution" here in a loose
   sense, not precisely as employed in the Copyright Act.)

4. Industry developments---ASP, PaaS---are making that
   distinction less and less relevant.  Doesn't confining
   copyleft to distribution-triggered conditions
   fundamentally hobble it as a technique for driving a good
   reciprocity bargain?  In other words, is AGPL the
   furthest copyleft can go?

-- 
Kyle Mitchell, attorney // Oakland // (510) 712 - 0933