[License-discuss] Shortest copyleft licence

[cowan at ccil.org]

Maxthon Chan scripsit:

> Is it favorable to add a copy left clause into 2BSDL to make it copyleft?
> "You must provide the source code, in its human-preferred format, with
> this work or any derivatives of this work you created when
> redistributing."

That's pretty much what the Sleepycat license does.  Here's a very lightly
edited version of its additional clause:

    Redistributions in any form must be accompanied by information
    on how to obtain complete source code for the licensed software
    and any accompanying software that uses the licensed software.
    The source code must either be included in the distribution
    or be available for no more than the cost of distribution
    plus a nominal fee, and must be freely redistributable under
    reasonable conditions. For an executable file, complete source
    code means the source code for all modules it contains.
    It does not include source code for modules or files that
    typically accompany the major components of the operating
    system on which the executable file runs.

The restrictions pretty much match those of the GPL2.
The Sleepycat license itself is redundant and non-templatized,
so it can't be reused directly.  If someone felt like
proposing something like 2-clause BSD + the above, I for one would
welcome it.  Unlike the GPL, this does not create a new and
distinct software commons.

-- 
John Cowan          http://www.ccil.org/~cowan        cowan at ccil.org
Police in many lands are now complaining that local arrestees are insisting
on having their Miranda rights read to them, just like perps in American TV
cop shows.  When it's explained to them that they are in a different country,
where those rights do not exist, they become outraged.  --Neal Stephenson