[License-review] For Approval: NASA Open Source Agreement 2.0

[Karl Fogel]

Carlo Piana <osi-review at piana.eu> writes:
>A couple of quick remarks:
>
>* Paragraph K (optional) requires the recipient to register themselves
>as a condition to use the software, and this seems an OSD incompatible
>requirement to me.

I thought it only "requests", not requires.  (The language could be
even more emphatic about how it's merely a request, but it does seem
pretty unambiguous even as it's currently worded).

>* Since this license strikes me as being sort of a counterpart of the
>EUPL in Europe, and since it seems a weak copyleft, GPL incompatible
>license too, have you considered an express GPL* compatibility clause
>(which is not a requirement to be OSD-compliant, just asking)?

Interesting question!

-K

>On 07/06/2013 17:23, Geurts, Bryan A. (GSFC-1401) wrote:
>
>        Please accept for OSI review and approval the attached NASA
>    Open Source Agreement 2.0 (NOSA 2.0) as a replacement for the
>    existing NASA Open Source Agreement 1.3.
>
>        NASA proposes that NOSA 2.0 be placed in the license
>    proliferation category of SPECIAL PURPOSE LICENSES. It is designed
>    to be used by US Government Agencies releasing original software
>    to the public.
>
>        Accordingly, once NOSA 2.0 has been approved, NASA proposes
>    that the current NOSA 1.3 be retired (with full government
>    retirement benefits, such as they are).
>
>        This new version of the NOSA retains clauses unique to
>    government licensing e.g. choice of law, disclaimer of warranties
>    and treatment of civil servant contributors, and yet removes some
>    of the more unsavory requirements of the earlier version, such as
>    the requirement of contributors to warrant that they are the
>    original authors of their contribution.
>
>        Please direct any questions about this submittal to me as
>    License Steward for the NOSA 2.0 and 1.3. Thank you for your
>    consideration.
>
>        Bryan A. Geurts
>
>        Chief Patent Counsel
>
>        NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
>
>        Code 140.1, 8800 Greenbelt Road
>
>        Greenbelt, MD 20771
>
>        Phone: 301-286-7352
>
>        Fax: 310-286-9502
>
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>
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