Questions tagged [license]
This tag is used for concerns about licenses to software and what rights one grants.
30
votes
2answers
6k views
Is the term 'open source' a trademark?
A few months ago, MongoDB introduced a new license called SSPL following some conflicts with AWS. Later they presented this license to the Open Source Initiative (OSI) for approval for it to be called ...
0
votes
1answer
56 views
My open source project relies on a paid software
Please, could you propose to me what kind of software license fits my project?
I am creating a software project that relies on paid license software. I will release this software for free to help the ...
3
votes
1answer
34 views
What year to use copyright - current year or library build year?
When attributing open source software, do you always default to the current year or the year that the library you are using was built?
For example, I'm using MIT licensed software from a build in ...
-1
votes
1answer
39 views
Distribution of code of a system that uses open source tool with GPL license
I'm sorry if my question is repeated, but I have searched and read allot about this topic and kind of confused and want to make sure at this point. I'm planning to use an open source tool that will be ...
3
votes
1answer
29 views
Are downloaded data automatically licensed?
If a purely Apache v2 licensed software automatically downloads data files from its copyright holder's website without asking the user, does that automatically grant Apache v2 license to the ...
3
votes
1answer
404 views
License to disallow distribution in closed source software, but allow exceptions made by owner?
Is there a license (similar to the GNU v3 software license) that forbids the usage of an open-source software in closed-source software, but except parties that receive approval by the original owner (...
5
votes
3answers
217 views
How to license scientific software to be open while protecting against misuse?
Note: This question is a revision of an earlier question, which MadHatter suggested should be revised into a new more specific question. Note that there is a lot of similarity between the questions; ...
3
votes
1answer
85 views
Licenses for scientific software
Edit: This question has been revised into a more specific question here that does not muddy the waters by bringing up the difficulties of supporting scientific software financially. Please see the ...
1
vote
1answer
60 views
How much changes are required for the “editor” of an open source software to become the new owner?
I think I read somewhere that if you modify the source of a software enough, you become the owner ("author") of that source.
First I'd like to make sure that this is correct. If not, then the point ...
3
votes
1answer
40 views
How does GNU GPL work in a fullstack Android project?
What is the compatibility in terms of license with an API? For example: GPL license from the client side and PHP license from the server side, is it possible?
Can the Android application contain ...
2
votes
1answer
20 views
License of a not anymore existing pip library
I think the question is language agnostic but we are doing an audit and there is a python library which doesn't specify license and it doesn't install anymore.
> pip freeze | grep MakeJS
MakeJS==0....
2
votes
1answer
28 views
If I have many distributable packages in the same repository, do I need to include a LICENSE file with all of them?
I'm creating a project with Lerna, so there's multiple NPM packages in the same repository.
Is it necessary for me to place a LICENSE file inside each NPM package, such that when the user downloads ...
1
vote
1answer
36 views
What is the license of the Debian Live ISO binary since it is an aggregate work?
A Debian CD or DVD ISO file - here is an example - consists of many different packages containing software licenses under various licenses such as GPLv2, GPLv3, BSD, and a lot of other licenses.
The ...
2
votes
0answers
30 views
What is the OpenChain project?
Many MNCs like Facebook, Uber, Google and now Microsoft have joined the OpenChain Project, but what's it all about? I think it has something to do with FOSS licenses, but based on the material on ...
4
votes
1answer
148 views
Should I use my own license in a fork of another GitHub repository, which I've revamped completely?
Background
I am the owner of an open-source theme for Hugo named hugo-dream-plus which, as the name implies, is an upgraded version of hugo-theme-dream.
Note that hugo-theme-dream is licensed ...
0
votes
1answer
53 views
license for the code snippet posted in github issues
Is the code snippet posted in github repository issues section automatically under the same license that the repository is having?
Additionally(and related), is the content in pull request which has ...
72
votes
1answer
36k views
What are the essential differences between the BSD and MIT licences?
There are many articles out there which cover the topic in length and breadth, but so far I haven't found a nice, concise answer to the question.
What are the most important differences between the ...
