On Sun, 18 Jan 2009 15:58:06 +0100 Mark Weyer wrote: [...] > On Sun, Jan 18, 2009 at 01:49:35PM +0100, Mark Weyer wrote: > > - Copyleft with source requirement, but should not contaminate other > > software. [...] > Maybe I should have been less terse. > - With "source requirement" I meant that source code of derived works must > be made available. This is, IMO, one of the key features of a copyleft license. > I think this rules out BSD and MIT licenses. I agree. > - "no contamination of other sofware" was meant to imply, that if someone > uses (a derived version of) my software as part of hers, she does not > have to put her entire work under my license. I think the opposite of this is another key feature of a copyleft license! E.g.: the GNU GPL imposes that works incorporating a GPL'ed work (or a derivative of a GPL'ed work) may only be distributed under the terms of the GNU GPL itself. The only exception is the case of "mere aggregation": see the license text for more details. Hence, I think your desiderata are somewhat inconsistent. > I have always understood this to rule out all versions of GPL. On a > quick glance I cannot find the relevant part of GLPv3, though. If I understand your desiderata correctly, yes, I think all versions of the GNU GPL are ruled out. > - "no requirement to advertize" was targetted at clauses like 5d of GLPv3: > | d) If the work has interactive user interfaces, each must display > | Appropriate Legal Notices; however, if the Program has interactive > | interfaces that do not display Appropriate Legal Notices, your > | work need not make them do so. I personally very dislike this clause: I would have been way much happier, if the GNU GPL v3 didn't have it at all... Hence, I sympathize with your desire for a license that lacks such clauses. Back to your question: I personally think you should revise your desiderata, since you seem to search for a broken copyleft, which is, well... , not what I would really recommend! ;-) My personal suggestions are: * first, decide if you really want a copyleft * in case you really want a copyleft, I _strongly_ recommend a GPLv2-compatible license: for instance - the GNU GPL v2 itself (only v2, or, if you prefer, with the "or later" phrasing) http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl2.txt - or the GNU LGPL v2.1 http://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/lgpl-2.1.txt * in case you conclude you do not want a copyleft, I recommend a simple non-copyleft license: for instance - the Expat/MIT license http://www.jclark.com/xml/copying.txt - or the 2-clause BSD license http://www.debian.org/misc/bsd.license (without clause 3.) - or the zlib license http://www.gzip.org/zlib/zlib_license.html Of course, all the above is my own personal opinion. Disclaimers: IANAL, TINLA, IANADD, TINASOTODP. -- On some search engines, searching for my nickname AND "nano-documents" may lead you to my website... ..................................................... Francesco Poli . GnuPG key fpr == C979 F34B 27CE 5CD8 DC12 31B5 78F4 279B DD6D FCF4
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