From: Matt Gushee <mgushee@...>
Date: 2002-09-15T07:34:43+09:00
Subject: OT: Open Source Licenses (was Re: [ANN] DbTalk 0.7)

On Sun, Sep 15, 2002 at 06:55:07AM +0900, Hal E. Fulton wrote:
> 
> > Yes, my application will be GPLed ... although I must admit that I am very
> > ignorant about such licensing issues. I wish to be as unrestrictive in
> > publishing my work as possible.

Well, the GPL is arguably one of the most restrictive Open Source
licenses--but in the paradoxical sense that it restricts the user from
restricting the rights of others. Which if you ask me is pretty cool.

However, lately I find myself using the BSD license whenever I don't
want to prohibit the product being used in a proprietary application.

Why BSD? Because, unlike almost all other Open Source licenses, it is
brief enough that people might actually read it, and clear enough that
non-lawyers have a chance of actually understanding it.

  [And, strangely, I've never known anyone to raise that point up until
   now. I don't know why that is, but I can only guess that most people
   cynically believe that noone reads licenses anyway, so why bother?]

> I wish that there were some centralized location where
> I could learn about all these licenses and why they are
> loved/hated by various people in various situations.

Well, you can read and compare many licenses at

    http://opensource.org/licenses/

but maybe you knew that already. And in any case, they don't really
publish commentary on the web site, though I notice they have a mailing
list where I imagine you'll find more than enough debate.

-- 
Matt Gushee
Englewood, Colorado, USA
mgushee@havenrock.com
http://www.havenrock.com/