Questions tagged [license]
This tag is used for concerns about licenses to software and what rights one grants.
121
questions
1
vote
0answers
77 views
Repository with no license declaration and a single contributor, who isn't the owner [closed]
I am in touch with the one contributor of this project. The owner seems to be absent and there is no license. The only contributor is the developer I am in touch with. Would all of the copyright go to ...
1
vote
1answer
17 views
How to manage multi-licensed components in a project
I am working on a commercial application that leverages several available components (spring, hibernate, etc.).
There are certain components that have multiple licenses associated with them.
All these ...
2
votes
1answer
49 views
Sign and distribute unmodified GNU GPLv2, MIT and Apache2 Linux packages
Software component under a custom open-source license requires certain third-party GPLv2, Apache2, and MIT Linux packages:
GPLv2 package is not part of the component but is usually used to integrate ...
17
votes
3answers
3k views
Is it possible that a future GPL version removes copyleft? [duplicate]
Let's imagine that for a reason the FSF publishes a new version of the GPL (v4) that would basically be a BSD license.
What would that entail for the code licensed under GPL v2 or v3 ?
I refer to the ...
1
vote
1answer
54 views
Redistribution of BSD source code
If I can access a source code with a BSD license, who, if anybody, do I need to ask permission to use/modify/commercialize/redistribute the code (under BSD license conditions)?
The BSD license allows ...
-3
votes
1answer
54 views
Is there a license to make your code open source, but at the same time for people not to be able to use the code? [closed]
I'm trying to make an app, and I'm actually serious about it. I'm using electron, so I know my source code is guaranteed to be leaked. I was thinking of making my app open source, but at the same time ...
1
vote
0answers
21 views
What is the difference between GPL classpath exception and linking exception?
So I read that OpenJDK is under the GPLv2 with linking exception. What is a Classpath exception and a linking exception? The JDK that I'm using(Amazon Corretto which is a build of OpenJDK) is under ...
-3
votes
1answer
95 views
Can you use code on GitHub for commercial purposes?
so I want to use the code in GitHub to help with my project, I don't sell the code or others I only need the output for my project. in the readme file, the project is built upon A, and B (other GitHub ...
3
votes
1answer
51 views
MIT license change own name as copyright holder
If I am the copyright holder of a project licensed under the MIT license, can I change the name in the copyright notice? For example after a name change or changing to/from a pseudonym.
Note that (...
1
vote
2answers
47 views
Multi-Licensing with open source licenses
When a project on GitHub uses two OS licenses, Apache/EPL or Apache/AGPL, does one license govern over the other or do both govern equally and together? My main confusion is how the two licenses ...
-1
votes
2answers
44 views
How to include licenses of dependencies in commercial closed-source proprietary software?
Our company is developing an enterprise application that is essentially a set of different applications (microservices). Some of these microservices are based on node.js while others are based on ...
2
votes
0answers
20 views
Which license is final for google's android play-services? ASL2.0 or Android SDK?
My android application has some com.google.android.gms.play-services-* libraries as dependencies. Let's take play-services-ads-19.7.0 as an example.
Google's maven page states, that license of that ...
1
vote
1answer
60 views
Is org.json a free/open source library?
github link: https://github.com/stleary/JSON-java
The license reads, "..The Software shall be used for Good, not Evil. ..."
There is also a hyperlink in overview of github link to https://en....
1
vote
1answer
42 views
Software license for game consoles?
I'm thinking about making my own video games and want them to be open source and on game consoles as well. I know that GPL is not an option because companies like Nintendo and Microsoft don't allow ...
1
vote
1answer
320 views
Can Microsoft legally release a version of Windows with the Linux kernel as a proprietary operating system?
Over the past few years, Microsoft has been increasingly endorsing the Linux Kernel. They allow running a stripped down version of GNU/Linux distros in Windows, and Microsoft Azure uses Linux nowadays....
2
votes
0answers
34 views
Is JavaFX fully open-source?
It's unclear to me whether all components that comprise JavaFX are open-source. Statements on this that I found around the web seem to be unclear too.
The official OpenJFX website seems to imply that ...
-1
votes
1answer
27 views
Modern Alternatives for the Common Public Attribution License
I am looking for a modern alternative or similar license to the Common Public Attribution License.
Here are some of the specific license attributions that I am looking for:
A requirement that the ...
2
votes
1answer
46 views
Explicit linkage of GCC STL source code in end user's code - GPLv3 + GCC runtime exception
My question is related to GPLv3 and GCC runtime exception. I need to include GCC source code in my project.
I am an author of an embedded library that is intended to be built using GCC C++ compiler ...
2
votes
1answer
41 views
Do I have to open source my app if I use unmodified api data licensed under CC-BY-SA 4.0
Im working on a little Quiz App. To get questions I use Open Trivia DB
All data provided by the API is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
I have ...
2
votes
1answer
63 views
Is it allowed to modify the java.exe file
as in the title - is it allowed to modify the "Java.exe" and "javaw.exe" files? Like with Resource Hacker?
I want to change the executable icon but I am not sure if it is legit. I ...
3
votes
1answer
42 views
Does the use of GCC small macros and linker variables make my work GPL?
when using AVR or ARM toolchains for Atmel microcontrollers, is using GCC macros such as __AVR_...__ or linker variables making my code GPL?
I know GCC is covered by "GPL 3.0" + "GCC ...
1
vote
0answers
28 views
Do I need to share source code with GPL/AGPL if I am the owner? [duplicate]
if I build something under GPL/AGPL license, am I obligated to share that code if I have users using this service event when I am the owner of the code?
1
vote
1answer
34 views
What is the license for derivative work of a project in MIT with no license file [duplicate]
I have an open source github Library that i need to use for work, however there is no LICENSE file in the repository. The library itself is a derivative work (porting to another language) of a library ...
0
votes
1answer
41 views
Can I license my commercial app and web app's source code under Creative Commons?
I want to license my website and it's source code under creative commons while preventing commercial use but allowing other use cases such as non-commercial use and making sure than anyone can ...
1
vote
1answer
52 views
What if a project forks a number of projects, but doesn't include the license or copyright that was used — then another project forks the fork?
So it can be fairly established that this is infringement of copyright, but I'm unsure how to handle this. I've considered making a PR to the project that forked the other projects and adding the ...
3
votes
1answer
49 views
Choosing a license in Arduino environment
I wrote a C++ library for Arduino. The source code have the following specificities:
it includes headers, uses functions, macros, and structures/classes (and their methods) from LGPL libraries (...
2
votes
2answers
170 views
Can I create a SVG site containing files with all these licenses?
My site
My site is like a gallery of SVG files from different sources, with different licenses. In a way similar to https://www.flaticon.com/.
When clicking on an item it will show on a modal together ...
-5
votes
1answer
80 views
Have MIT license text to be added if software is just using?
Let's assume that I sell Angular course on Udemy. In this case, I wonder whether I have to add Angular's MIT license text to my course or not.
If I have to do this, is it enough to add the license ...
1
vote
1answer
29 views
Should I give attribute to transitive dependencies if I am using a package in binary form?
I am including the PostgreSQL JDBC driver (BSD-2) in my project in binary form (which I got from their website). I copied the license text in my repo, however I found the github repo for the driver ...
13
votes
4answers
3k views
Which licenses give me a guarantee that a software I'm installing is completely open-source, free of closed-source dependencies or components?
I have a question about free vs open source software that's more about practical implications from the user's perspective. I'll explain the mindset first before the actual question, so you can ...
3
votes
2answers
115 views
Adding GPL classpath exception to program
GCC has a special exception that doesn't force you to use GPL for programs compiled with GCC. If I for example had program foo, how can I apply the classpath/GCC/linking exception to it as well? Do I ...
-1
votes
1answer
206 views
Does multi-licensing disable “use/run for any purpose” right?
It is understood from the Open Source Initiative's definition of open source that the software under the licenses here and here can be used/run for any purpose. For example, it is understood that ...
-3
votes
1answer
189 views
Does a software under one of the OSI-approved licenses allow anybody to use/run it for any purpose?
OSI (Open Source Initiative) says that:
Open source software is made by many people and distributed under an OSD-compliant license which grants all the rights to use, study, change, and share the ...
1
vote
1answer
96 views
Are Open Source Licenses valid globally?
I found the Open Source Licenses here and here and want to know whether these are valid globally or not.
For example, I am from Turkey. Are these licenses valid for me?
2
votes
1answer
51 views
Reusing the original idea of a project without mentioning it
I found a project that is very clever and I would like to build my own but using some of their ideas. That's basically what I did but now the code is similar, because we follow the same idea, but I ...
1
vote
2answers
89 views
Can my paid WordPress plugin have a proprietary license?
WordPress is licensed under (GPLv2 or later). WordPress states that all plugins hosted under the WordPress Plugin Directory must be licensed under GPL.
We have a Free version of our plugin that is ...
2
votes
0answers
53 views
Use of SaaS application with using a AGPL script as a command line tool
I am planning to use a command-line tool on a docker image that our SaaS application has used to deploy some microservices. This command-line tool is licensed under AGPL and one of our microservices ...
5
votes
1answer
146 views
Do I need a longer license than this for a small program?
I have 2 small C programs (each is the inverse of the other) and a common header, <500 lines of code total, and it seems a waste to include a whole license file, so I've just written this comment ...
1
vote
1answer
84 views
Can my proprietary program use a GPLv3 binary?
I want to use in my program (closed source code) binary (GPL v3) which is used by execute it with parameters and read output/log of this execution. Can I do it? If yes, what information should I ...
3
votes
1answer
139 views
3-clause BSD or MIT license for software that imports numpy and matplotlib?
I wrote a Python script (a .py file) that I'd like to publish and license correctly. My script imports
numpy (3-clause BSD)
matplotlib.pyplot (Matplotlib license [BSD-compatible])
os and argparse (...
2
votes
0answers
39 views
Webdev: Open Source font and legal issues
I use the open source font Metropolis as main font for my webpages.
However, apparently there has been a legal issue with similarities to Gotham.
See https://discourse.mozilla.org/t/metropolis-font-...
2
votes
0answers
28 views
Wiki under GNU Free Documentation License - who is the author?
I'd like to use code of Cholesky decomposition as shown here:
This page licenses all its code under GNU Free Documentation License
My understanding is that to appropriately include it into something I'...
0
votes
1answer
45 views
MIT license for non-public use between two parties?
I'm looking for a license to use in a software project that is developed by two parties. The MIT license looks like a good choice because both parties have full rights and few restrictions. Both ...
3
votes
1answer
93 views
MongoDB community license usage
As MongoDB introduced their own server-side-public-license model for community version I wonder in which use cases community version is allowed to be used in production.
There are different ...
2
votes
1answer
42 views
Question regarding selling code under GPL(?)
I've written code in a project and now we want to publish it and are okay with everyone using it to their liking (e.g. research, companys as a tool in their daily business ("commercially"), ....
0
votes
1answer
32 views
License description for repository that uses a template under MIT license
Assume that I use a template repository on GitHub (e.g., https://github.com/actions/typescript-action), make a tool, and publish it on GitHub under MIT license.
However, obviously I need to show the ...
4
votes
2answers
112 views
The specifics of licensing public domain code within project under GNU GPLv3+
I'm developing a project which I'm about to release under the GNU GPL 3+ license. It does, however, contain a number of public domain subroutines.
Question: How do I go about placing a GPL license ...
3
votes
1answer
67 views
How to sub-license a modified MIT licensed project as a copyright?
I searched for this question over the internet but with no success.
I got a MIT licensed python library and did my modifications to fit my necessities. I want this new version to be a copyright with ...
0
votes
0answers
32 views
Is it ok to use React Navigation Stack/Drawer in your app when its dependency (@react-native-community/masked-view) does not have a license file?
I would like to use React Navigation in my React Native app which I would like to distribute in the Google Play Store. Both Stack and Drawer implementations of React Navigation have MIT licenses with ...
23
votes
2answers
4k views
Is the TeX typesetting system free and open source?
I recently opened the source code for the widely-used TeX typesetting system, and was surprised by the restrictive license I found:
This program is copyright (C) 1982 by D. E. Knuth; all rights are ...
