Documentation license problem solved: OpenContent License (OPL)
I think our ongoing problem of finding an appropriate license for
documentation has been solved.
On slashdot.org today, an article about the OpenContent License (OPL,
pronounced 'opal') was posted.
The license looks perfect for our use. I've included it at the
bottom of this message.
It specifies that distribution, modifications, and copying are
all okay, provided all modifications are clearly labeled
and credited.
This sounds like a perfect solution for the Debian project's ongoing
conundrum regarding documentation licenses, which often do not fit the
DFSG, including things like Perl's documentation license.
If we could push the use of the OPL license and specify in the
DFSG or make a DFDG that OPL is an example of a documentation
license we consider free, I think our problems would be solved. :)
Here's the license, taken from http://www.opencontent.org/opl.html .
I'd enjoy comments on this license -- I'm surprised it hasn't
poked its head up in the Debian scene before.
OpenContent License (OPL)
Version 1.0, July 14. 1998
This document outlines the principles underlying the OpenContent (OC)
movement and may be redistributed provided it remains unaltered. For
legal purposes, this document is the license under which OpenContent
is made available for use.
The original version of this document may be found at
http://www.opencontent.org/opl.html
LICENSE
Terms and Conditions for Copying, Distributing, and Modifying
Items other than copying, distributing, and modifying the Content with
which this license was distributed (such as using, etc.) are outside
the scope of this license.
1. You may copy and distribute exact replicas of the OpenContent (OC)
as you receive it, in any medium, provided that you conspicuously and
appropriately publish on each copy an appropriate copyright notice and
disclaimer of warranty; keep intact all the notices that refer to this
License and to the absence of any warranty; and give any other
recipients of the OC a copy of this License along with the OC. You may
at your option charge a fee for the media and/or handling involved in
creating a unique copy of the OC for use offline, you may at your
option offer instructional support for the OC in exchange for a fee,
or you may at your option offer warranty in exchange for a fee. You
may not charge a fee for the OC itself. You may not charge a fee for
the sole service of providing access to and/or use of the OC via a
network (e.g. the Internet), whether it be via the world wide web,
FTP, or any other method.
2. You may modify your copy or copies of the OpenContent or any
portion of it, thus forming works based on the Content, and distribute
such modifications or work under the terms of Section 1 above,
provided that you also meet all of these conditions:
a) You must cause the modified content to carry prominent notices
stating that you changed it, the exact nature and content of the
changes, and the date of any change.
b) You must cause any work that you distribute or publish, that in
whole or in part contains or is derived from the OC or any part
thereof, to be licensed as a whole at no charge to all third parties
under the terms of this License, unless otherwise permitted under
applicable Fair Use law.
These requirements apply to the modified work as a whole. If
identifiable sections of that work are not derived from the OC, and
can be reasonably considered independent and separate works in
themselves, then this License, and its terms, do not apply to those
sections when you distribute them as separate works. But when you
distribute the same sections as part of a whole which is a work based
on the OC, the distribution of the whole must be on the terms of this
License, whose permissions for other licensees extend to the entire
whole, and thus to each and every part regardless of who wrote it.
Exceptions are made to this requirement to release modified works free
of charge under this license only in compliance with Fair Use law
where applicable.
3. You are not required to accept this License, since you have not
signed it. However, nothing else grants you permission to copy,
distribute or modify the OC. These actions are prohibited by law if
you do not accept this License. Therefore, by distributing or
translating the OC, or by deriving works herefrom, you indicate your
acceptance of this License to do so, and all its terms and conditions
for copying, distributing or translating the OC.
NO WARRANTY
4. BECAUSE THE OPENCONTENT (OC) IS LICENSED FREE OF CHARGE, THERE IS
NO WARRANTY FOR THE OC, TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW.
EXCEPT WHEN OTHERWISE STATED IN WRITING THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND/OR
OTHER PARTIES PROVIDE THE OC "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND,
EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE
IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
PURPOSE. THE ENTIRE RISK OF USE OF THE OC IS WITH YOU. SHOULD THE OC
PROVE FAULTY, INACCURATE, OR OTHERWISE UNACCEPTABLE YOU ASSUME THE
COST OF ALL NECESSARY REPAIR OR CORRECTION.
5. IN NO EVENT UNLESS REQUIRED BY APPLICABLE LAW OR AGREED TO IN
WRITING WILL ANY COPYRIGHT HOLDER, OR ANY OTHER PARTY WHO MAY MIRROR
AND/OR REDISTRIBUTE THE OC AS PERMITTED ABOVE, BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR
DAMAGES, INCLUDING ANY GENERAL, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL
DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE THE OC, EVEN IF
SUCH HOLDER OR OTHER PARTY HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH
DAMAGES.
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