Re: "Use as you wish" license

[Ian Jackson <ijackson@chiark.greenend.org.uk>]

Roberto writes (""Use as you wish" license"):
> I've encountered two simple notices, I wonder if they are acceptable for
> DFSG under your opinion.
> 
> Is "Use as you wish" an acceptable license?

I would argue that modifying and redistributing are uses, and
therefore included in `use'.  To me that's clearly what the author
intends.

As a practical matter, a copyrightholder who writes such a notice is
unlikely to sue, and if the copyright passes on, their less
sympathetic successors are very likely estopped from going back on it.

So I think this is fine.

> And, a web page that says some of its content "may be downloaded and
> used for any projects, without restrictions".

It is to me less clear that this allows modification, because
`downloaded and used' seems to necessarily mean that `used' doesn't
include `downloaded'.  I would ask the author/copyrightholder for
clarification and/or suggest a revised wording.

Ian.