[License-review] [License Review] Project Tick General Public License v1.0

Wed Jan 21 15:32:25 UTC 2026

Hello Shuji-san,

Thank you so much for your careful review and for sharing these thoughtful observations. They have been truly helpful in improving the text.

I wanted to clarify that the license version you reviewed is an earlier draft. The revised Version 2 of the Project Tick General Public License will be released on February 2, 2026, and will explicitly address the concerns you raised.

Specifically, the upcoming version includes the following amendments:

- References that mandate specific technologies or interfaces (e.g., "network server") have been replaced with technology-neutral language ("any reasonable and publicly available means") to address the OSD #10 concern.

- Provisions regarding registration, payment, or restricted access have been narrowed to target practices that significantly and demonstrably impede the use of licensed rights, rather than imposing absolute prohibitions.
- The “public access” and “equal access” requirements have been refined to focus on practical constraints, and explicit language has been added confirming that incremental releases, different distribution models, and various access arrangements are permitted as long as they do not undermine the freedoms granted by the license.

Furthermore, the “or later” variant, a separate license text in Version 2 but optional compared to the main text, clarifies that the choice to allow later releases was explicitly made by the copyright holder at the time the Work was licensed, following the traditional GPL-style model.

The aim is to maintain strong copyleft and network usage protections while remaining within the boundaries of the Open Source Definition and avoiding imposing unnecessary restrictions on legitimate distribution or workflows.

Thank you again for inviting us to review the draft and discuss these trade-offs. Your feedback directly impacted the final adjustments in the upcoming release.

Sincerely,
Mehmet Samet Duman
Author of Project Tick

> Shuji Sado <shujisado at gmail.com> şunları yazdı (21 Oca 2026 18:02):
> 
> Hi Duman-san,
> 
> This license looks like a GPLv3/AGPLv3 family variant, with an even stronger focus on network operation and on preventing practical barriers to accessing corresponding source.
> Two points stood out to me:
> 
> 1. Potential tension with OSD #10
> 
> OSD #10 says: "No provision of the license may be predicated on any individual technology or style of interface."
> Section 5 requires that "public availability" be provided "through a network server" and "without requiring registration, payment, or acceptance of terms" (inconsistent with the license). Section 7 similarly states that access to Corresponding Resource and Installation Information "must not require any special password, key, registration, or authorization."
> 
> Is mandating a "network server" and banning "registration" an OSD #10 issue (interface/technology assumptions), or is it better read as a permissible anti-restriction rule to keep rights practically exercisable?
> 
> 2. Repeated "publicly available" requirements, plus equal access and no-delay mandates.
> 
> Section 3 triggers a "publicly available" obligation for Corresponding Resource when the work is operated to provide functionality to third parties over a network. Section 14 requires "equivalent access" for all recipients "without discrimination, delay, or additional restriction," and Section 16 treats staged releases or selective disclosure for "commercial or strategic advantage" as a violation.
> 
> I understand the policy goal, but this goes beyond what OSD explicitly requires and may strongly constrain distribution and business workflows. I am curious how others see the tradeoff here.
> 
> 
> 2026/1/21 21:09 M.samet Duman via License-review <license-review at lists.opensource.org <mailto:license-review at lists.opensource.org>>:
>> Hello license-review list,
>> 
>> I am submitting the Project Tick General Public License, Version 1.0,
>> for review and approval as an OSI-approved Open Source license.
>> 
>> License name:
>> Project Tick General Public License
>> 
>> Version:
>> Version 1.0 (17 January 2026)
>> 
>> License text:
>> [ATTACHMENT: PT-GPL-1.0.txt — plain text]
>> 
>> 
>> License steward:
>> Project Tick (https://projecttick.org/)
>> Contact: dumanmehmetsamet at icloud.com <mailto:dumanmehmetsamet at icloud.com>
>> 
>> Submitter:
>> Mehmet Samet Duman, on behalf of the license steward
>> 
>> Statement of compliance:
>> I affirm that the Project Tick General Public License complies with the
>> Open Source Definition, including OSD Sections 3, 5, 6, and 9.
>> 
>> License category:
>> New license
>> 
>> Purpose and gap addressed:
>> This license is intended to address gaps not fully covered by existing
>> OSI approved copyleft licenses, particularly regarding:
>> - Mandatory source availability for network-based operation of software
>> - Prevention of discriminatory or selective access to corresponding source
>> - Ensuring practical, timely, and non-obstructive access to source code
>> 
>> Comparison to existing licenses:
>> The license is most similar in spirit to the GNU GPL v3 and the AGPL v3,
>> but differs materially in that it:
>> - Treats public network operation as triggering source availability obligations
>>   without introducing separate licensing layers
>> - Explicitly prohibits selective, delayed, or discriminatory access to source
>> - Clarifies compliance expectations in SaaS and hosted environments
>> 
>> Legal review:
>> This license was authored by the license steward without formal legal counsel.
>> However, it has been iteratively reviewed for internal consistency and
>> alignment with the Open Source Definition.
>> 
>> Existing usage:
>> The license is newly published and currently used by Project Tick projects.
>> 
>> Thank you for your time and review. I am available to answer questions
>> and participate actively in the review process.
>> 
>> Best regards,
>> Mehmet Samet Duman
>> _______________________________________________
>> The opinions expressed in this email are those of the sender and not necessarily those of the Open Source Initiative. Communication from the Open Source Initiative will be sent from an opensource.org <http://opensource.org/> email address.
>> 
>> License-review mailing list
>> License-review at lists.opensource.org <mailto:License-review at lists.opensource.org>
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> 
> 
> 
> --
> Shuji Sado
> Chairman, Open Source Group Japan
> https://opensource.jp/
> English blog: https://shujisado.org/
> Japanese blog: https://shujisado.com/
> 

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