[License-review] Los Alamos National Labs BSD-3 Variant License Approval

[Carlo Piana]

Hi, 

since this is clearly a legacy, very specific, non reusable, non copyleft license, I think it can be approved, with the usual caveats, as I see nothing in the copyright grant and conditions that would conflict with OSD or create problems mixing and distributing the released software under more sensible and updated licenses. 

The only concern is that there are probably a ton of these very specific licenses out there, of which collectively we (surely I) are totally unaware, that may resurface. Just flagging the issue in case there is a surge in the applications. 

Best regards, 

Carlo, in his personal capacity


----- Messaggio originale -----
> Da: "Pettinger, Adam L via License-review" <license-review at lists.opensource.org>
> A: "license-review at lists.opensource.org" <license-review at lists.opensource.org>
> Cc: "Pettinger, Adam L" <adam.pettinger at tamu.edu>
> Inviato: Mercoledì, 26 giugno 2024 14:50:46
> Oggetto: [License-review] Los Alamos National Labs BSD-3 Variant License Approval

> Hello,

> We are trying to get a package ( [
> https://github.com/UTNuclearRoboticsPublic/netft_utils |
> https://github.com/UTNuclearRoboticsPublic/netft_utils ] ) distributed, and
> there is a small ambiguity in the licensing situation, see here ( [
> https://github.com/ros/rosdistro/pull/41583 |
> https://github.com/ros/rosdistro/pull/41583 ] ) for discussion.

> We determined that the best way forward is to get the license for the project
> approved by the OSI. See the attached file for the license text, but it is
> basically a Los Alamos National Lab (LANL) flavored BSD-3, and would be similar
> to ( [ https://opensource.org/license/bsd-3-clause-lbnl |
> https://opensource.org/license/bsd-3-clause-lbnl ] ).

> I believe the legacy license path makes the most sense for this, although that
> depends on how "unrelated" the entities must be. Here is a list of projects
> using the license ( [ https://www.lanl.gov/software/open-source-software.php |
> https://www.lanl.gov/software/open-source-software.php ] ), and they are only
> related in that

>     1.
> The authors have some affiliation with LANL and

>     2.
> The Feynman Center at LANL has approved them for open source release.

> The reason I think legacy makes sense is that the license is already used many
> places, and the ability to change the wording in it at this point is
> questionable.

> I will follow the legacy submission going forward, but please let me know if you
> think I should update and switch to the new license requirements. Per the
> guidelines on the website:

>     *
> The license text is attached

>     *
> It complies with the Open Source Definition, including clauses 3, 5, 6, and 9

>     *
> Here is a list of projects using the license: ( [
> https://www.lanl.gov/software/open-source-software.php |
> https://www.lanl.gov/software/open-source-software.php ] )

>     *
> The lisence steward would be the Intellectual Property Team at the Richard P.
> Feynman Center for Innovation at LANL. Phone: (505) 665-9090. Email:
> software at lanl.gov

>     *
> Unknown other approvals or information

>     *
> Following ( [ https://opensource.org/license/bsd-3-clause-lbnl |
> https://opensource.org/license/bsd-3-clause-lbnl ] ), I propose the name: Los
> Alamos National Lab BSD Variant License and identifier BSD-3-Clause-LANL

>     *
> No other existing IDs

> If it must be considered a new license, additional information would be:

>     *
> Gap to be filled: ability to release projects approved by LANL and using their
> license

>     *
> The most similiar ( [ https://opensource.org/license/bsd-3-clause-lbnl |
> https://opensource.org/license/bsd-3-clause-lbnl ] ), and really is quite
> close. Mostly just substituting LBNL naming with LANL naming

>     *
> Not sure what review the license has been through

> Please let me know if you have any questions, thanks!

> Adam Pettinger

> Senior Research Engineer

> [ mailto:adam.pettinger at tamu.edu | adam.pettinger at tamu.edu ]

> TEXAS A&M ROBOTICS AND AUTOMATION DESIGN LAB

> [ https://rad.engr.tamu.edu/ | https://rad.engr.tamu.edu/ ]

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