The Dink Network

New Software License

October 24th 2005, 09:48 PM
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I am writing my own open source freeware license called the FDCLA (Free Distribution Coding License Agreement). What sort of thing would you like to see in it?

The concept of the license is to grant the right to:
- Use the program in any way you want to.
- Use the source code in any way you want to.
- Redistribute the program or source code.
- To be editedable to a small degree (unlike the GNU GPL and the GNU LGPL).
October 27th 2005, 02:14 AM
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merlin
Peasant He/Him
 
Um, why? That sounds a lot like the BSD or zlib license anyway. Just use it.
October 28th 2005, 05:10 AM
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I have never heard of it. Until I know something about it I am not going to use it. Is it anything like the GNU?
October 28th 2005, 05:13 AM
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kikki
Peasant He/Him United Kingdom
This place has changed :) 
I'd take Merlin's word for it, after all, he IS magic..
October 28th 2005, 06:38 AM
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Gustav
Peasant He/Him
 
We have enough software licenses already, and as Merlin says, it does sound similar to BSD.
October 28th 2005, 02:34 PM
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I will NOT simply take someone else's word for it. That is irrational. The only rational thing to do would be to research it myself and then make a decision. And besides I bet it won't be exactly to my liking. If it is anything like the GNU I will not like it.
October 28th 2005, 02:36 PM
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If it's anything like a normal license it will be too long winded for my liking. Most people don't read licenses because they are too long. I want to make one that ins't.

And the fect that we apparently "have too many licenses" isn't going to stop me from making one that suits me.
October 28th 2005, 03:24 PM
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kikki
Peasant He/Him United Kingdom
This place has changed :) 
Well you're asking for opinions, yet you only want a licence that is exactly to YOUR liking?
October 28th 2005, 06:59 PM
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merlin
Peasant He/Him
 
The BSD license:

Copyright (c) <YEAR>, <OWNER>
All rights reserved.

Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:
* Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
* Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
* Neither the name of the <ORGANIZATION> nor the names of its contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived from this software without specific prior written permission.

THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.


The zlib license:


Copyright (c) <year> <copyright holders>

This software is provided 'as-is', without any express or implied warranty. In no event will the authors be held liable for any damages arising from the use of this software.

Permission is granted to anyone to use this software for any purpose, including commercial applications, and to alter it and redistribute it freely, subject to the following restrictions:
1. The origin of this software must not be misrepresented; you must not claim that you wrote the original software. If you use this software in a product, an acknowledgment in the product documentation would be appreciated but is not required.
2. Altered source versions must be plainly marked as such, and must not be misrepresented as being the original software.
3. This notice may not be removed or altered from any source distribution.
October 28th 2005, 08:34 PM
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magicman
Peasant They/Them Netherlands duck
Mmmm, pizza. 
There's one reason why I hardly read any licenses. Dang ALL-CAPS. I don't read ALL-CAPS forum posts, nor do I read ALL-CAPS licenses.

Pet peeve of mine, never got it cured.
October 28th 2005, 09:30 PM
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Gustav
Peasant He/Him
 
See? The other licenses aren't long at aren't long at all.
October 29th 2005, 05:28 AM
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metatarasal
Bard He/Him Netherlands
I object 
You could make it even shorter:

Do whatever you want with this program, as long as you don't hold me responsible for any problems you might get. Oh, and you have the right to distribute this program.

Now that's short!
October 29th 2005, 05:37 AM
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Gustav
Peasant He/Him
 
As a joke I usually add jokes in my EULAs like
By installing this game you agree to the following:
* legal crap
* Gustav is the sexiest man in the world
October 29th 2005, 06:13 PM
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merlin
Peasant He/Him
 
Then I wouldn't be able to install your game, Gustav. The second one kills it.
October 29th 2005, 07:16 PM
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Gustav
Peasant He/Him
 
Awww 'cmon. You know it's true.
October 30th 2005, 03:41 PM
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metatarasal
Bard He/Him Netherlands
I object 
Replace it with:
Gustav is the most sexistic man in the world

And I *might* consider installing it...
October 30th 2005, 06:29 PM
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Well I was hoping people could give me suggestions for part of the license that I would like.
October 30th 2005, 06:39 PM
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They aren't really the sort of thing I'm looking for.
October 30th 2005, 06:40 PM
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But not descriptive enough or what i am looking for. I do want to put SOME restrictions in. I think yours is too short.
November 4th 2005, 08:22 AM
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Phoenix
Peasant He/Him Norway
Back from the ashes 
Why do you want to restrict the ability to edit/use your code? That kind of beats the purpose of putting it into the open, if you can't use it for anything anyway.
November 4th 2005, 01:11 PM
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Ummm... no I don't want to restrict that.
November 4th 2005, 04:32 PM
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Phoenix
Peasant He/Him Norway
Back from the ashes 
Then I misunderstood this one:

- To be editedable to a small degree (unlike the GNU GPL and the GNU LGPL).

Since the GNU GPL/LGPL allows unrestricted editing to existing code (as long as you distribute your changes, fair and square), I figured that what you meant was to restrict edits.

And if you mean edit the actual license, I don't see why you can't edit the GPL to suit your own needs. I suppose you can't call it the "GNU GPL" license anymore, but I doubt that you're not allowed to change the license...
November 4th 2005, 10:00 PM
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Gustav
Peasant He/Him
 
Restrict editing the code? You mean like Mac OS? XD
November 5th 2005, 04:39 AM
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I meant that the license it editable. If you edit the GPL then legally it isn't the GPL. My license will still allow some small edits and still be the same license name wise (and overall).
November 5th 2005, 07:07 AM
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Simeon
Peasant He/Him Netherlands
Any fool can use a computer. Many do. 
An editable license
November 5th 2005, 11:19 AM
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I mean that develepors can edit it for use with their software not end users can edit it.
November 5th 2005, 03:08 PM
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merlin
Peasant He/Him
 
They can already do that with every license out there.
November 20th 2005, 05:24 AM
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millimeter
Peasant He/Him Canada
Millimeter is Wee-Lamm, Recording Artist. :-) 
So, you want to build a template that developers can alter so that the license suits their needs?

The list of requirements in your OP made it feel like you wanted to mildly restrict the software but not really, kinda.

I think items 1-3 were wishes for the software this template would serve, whereas #4 dealt with the copyright of the license text, and not the software it would serve.

mm.