For Approval: Open Source Software Alliance License

Sean Chittenden sean at chittenden.org
Fri Sep 26 04:45:19 UTC 2003


I've been waiting for someone to actually go through this, thank you
for your time and energy.

>  > 4. Redistributions of  source code must not be  used in conjunction
>  > with any  software license that requires disclosure  of source code
>  > (ex: the GNU Public License, hereafter known as the GPL).
> 
> IMHO, this violates OSD #1:-
> 
> 'as a component of an aggregate software distribution containing'
>                       ^^^^^^^^^

    1. Free Redistribution

    The license shall not restrict any party from selling or giving
    away the software as a component of an aggregate software
    distribution containing programs from several different
    sources. The license shall not require a royalty or other fee for
    such sale.

You can sell OSSAL software and you can give OSSAL software away.  You
can redistribute OSSAL software that uses BSD, MIT, or LGPL licensed
bits.  You can distribute OSSAL bits along side GPL bits.  OSSAL bits
can never be used in conjunction with GPL bits, so OSSAL bits can
never be apart of an aggregate software product.... which means that
there's no possibility for OSSAL bits to restrict "an aggregate
software distribution."

>  > 5. Redistributions of source code in any non-textual form (i.e.
>  > binary or object form, etc.) must not be linked to software that
>  > is released with a license that requires disclosure of source
>  > code (ex: the GPL).
> 
> Violates OSD #9
> 
> These terms restrict use of other software (here, s/w under GPL)
> used in conjunction with s/w under terms of this license.

    9. The License Must Not Restrict Other Software

    The license must not place restrictions on other software that is
    _distributed_ along with the licensed software. For example, the
    license must not insist that all other programs distributed on the
    same medium must be open-source software.

OSSAL restricts the use, yes.  OSSAL does not, however, restrict
distribution.  I crafted these words to be very careful to comply with
the OSD while preserving the intention of the license.  -sc

-- 
Sean Chittenden
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