[License-discuss] Invariant manifestos as an approach to expressing values / beliefs / missions for open source projects

Russell Nelson nelson at crynwr.com
Mon Dec 28 18:50:00 UTC 2020


On 12/28/20 10:31 AM, Pamela Chestek wrote:
> It is a misperception to think that there is any "non-binding" part of 
> a legal document.

Which means that we should be very wary of allowing text which takes 
away freedoms. E.g.:

      The XYZ license permits you to do anything you want (but you 
shouldn't do anything I think is unethical).

Open Source is as much a marketing plan as it is a legal regime. If 
people may legally do things with software, but the license discourages 
them by telling them what they should or shouldn't do, we have failed 
our community.




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