From: Kevin Brown <blargity@...>
Date: 2005-09-13T11:07:21+09:00
Subject: Re: [OT] Choosing an open source license

On Monday 12 September 2005 19:50, Eric Hodel wrote:
> On 12 Sep 2005, at 18:41, debbie@theanimaro.com wrote:
> > Is there an existing well-known open-source license that says "you
> > must
> > submit any changes you make to the author, even if you aren't
> > distributing the application to anyone"?
>
> I don't suspect you'll get anybody to use your software then.
>
> *I* sure wouldn't.
>
> Besides, how are you going to find this people to prosecute them?

You'd discover them advertising their server for open use and notice it's not 
your version...

My opinion on this is that if you put some kind of MUST command in the license 
like that people will shy away from it hardcore.  I would rely on karma and 
simply put 'the author requests that any changes you make to the server 
software be submitted back to the author so said changes can be merged into 
the main trunk if deemed approproate..."

But when you really think about it, the POINT of free software is to allow you 
to take someone else's work and create a competing branch if that's what 
needs to be done, so I'm guessing you'll have a hard time finding a pre-made 
open source license that does what you're looking for.  The GPL specifically 
is careful to make sure future changes don't need the permission of the 
current author, and that's a good thing for free software IMHO.