[License-review] OSI License Submission - PPPL BSD-3

[Carlo Piana]

Will, 

thank you for your submission. 

If I understand correctly, the main reason for creating a new license and submit it as an approved license is to permit attribution of copyright? I am rather opposed to have this kind of licenses approved, since the BSD license has a placeholder and any name slotted in is by definition approved and this one, if I understand it correctly, does not bring any difference but the name, so it's the same license. 

Despite it not being necessarily an issue of proliferation, giving it a different name when it's actually the same license, creates unnecessary friction, clogs the namespace and creates a lot of issues in automated license compatibility resolution, especially if it's given a separate SPDX identifier. 

Besides, it is not the license the right place to claim copyright. In source code there are standards like SPDX and REUSE and that one is the (machine readable) way. In object code there are numerous ways too. 

Have you considered the above? 

Thank you very much. 

Carlo 

> Da: "Will Rarich via License-review" <license-review at lists.opensource.org>
> A: "license-review at lists.opensource.org" <license-review at lists.opensource.org>
> Cc: "Will Rarich" <wrarich at pppl.gov>
> Inviato: Mercoledì, 9 luglio 2025 18:25:54
> Oggetto: [License-review] OSI License Submission - PPPL BSD-3

> Hello,

> I work in the tech transfer office at the Princeton Plasma Physics Lab (PPPL), a
> DOE National Laboratory, and I have recently taken up a stewardship role over
> the lab's software portfolio. I am in the process of ensuring we are compliant
> with our contractual obligations to the DOE in how we obtain permission to
> copyright software, so there are a number of "legacy" codes at the lab being
> open sourced in addition to anything newly authored by our developers. My
> colleague Chris Wright has prepared a preferred license for this process, a
> variant of Lawrence Berkeley National Lab's BSD-3 license ( [
> https://opensource.org/license/bsd-3-clause-lbnl |
> https://opensource.org/license/bsd-3-clause-lbnl ] ) with PPPL's name
> substituted. We would like to have our license officially approved by OSI to
> encourage its use when our developers decide to open source through our office.

> As it pertains to this review process, this license would be considered "new" as
> it has been in use for only a few months.

> The attached PPPL BSD-3 License complies with the Open Source Definition,
> including clauses 3, 5, 6, and 9.

> Anarrima ( [ https://github.com/PrincetonUniversity/anarrima |
> https://github.com/PrincetonUniversity/anarrima ] ) has been made publicly
> available with the PPPL BSD-3 License, and several other PPPL-developed codes
> will be imminently open sourced with it.

> The license steward is PPPL's Strategic Engagement and Applications Development
> office ( [ mailto:SEAD at pppl.gov | SEAD at pppl.gov ] ).

> The license name is Princeton Plasma Physics Lab BSD Variant License with the
> identifier BSD-3-Clause-PPPL.

> The gap filled by this additional license is PPPL's ability to assert copyright
> on software authored by its staff and affiliates. When DOE-funded software
> announcements are made in accordance with our government contract at [
> https://www.osti.gov/doecode/ | https://www.osti.gov/doecode/ ] the
> announcement requires the name and/or link to the OSS License. Having the PPPL
> version of the BSD-3-Clause-PPPL published on [ http://opensource.org/ |
> opensource.org ] will reduce confusion by enabling links to the correct
> document.

> It is most similar to LBNL's BSD-3 license ( [
> https://opensource.org/license/bsd-3-clause-lbnl |
> https://opensource.org/license/bsd-3-clause-lbnl ] ) with PPPL's name
> substituted throughout.

> The license has not been through legal review.

> I am happy to address any further questions or comments regarding this license.

> Best,

> Will Rarich
> Technology Transfer Specialist
> [ mailto:wrarich at pppl.gov | wrarich at pppl.gov ]
> Mobile: (908)-285-7143
> Visit us at [ https://innovation.pppl.gov/ | https://innovation.pppl.gov/ ]
> Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory is a U.S. Department of Energy National
> Laboratory managed by Princeton University.

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