Questions tagged [license]
This tag is used for concerns about licenses to software and what rights one grants.
135
questions
-1
votes
0answers
11 views
javascript and LGPL
Javascript File A imports Javascript File B( B is LGPL License)
Is linking of A and B is dynamic linking or static linking?
is *.js file a library or just source file?
Should A be disclosed? Or is it ...
-1
votes
0answers
26 views
Common Software License Type for Closed Source but Free Software [closed]
I am considering creating a simple piece of free software, but have no intention of releasing the source code. I am not using any open source components inside the application. Is there a common ...
4
votes
1answer
357 views
If I use a lot of libraries with the exact same license, can I condense the required attributions and notices?
I'm developing a project that happens to use a lot of open-source third-party libraries by different authors. Most of these libraries use the same license (mostly MIT, with the occasional Apache or ...
0
votes
1answer
46 views
Commercial license required to build Python packages with Microsoft C++ build tools?
The developer life becomes incredibly complicated once you work in commercial companies. Recently, I ran into the problem that I wanted to install the Python packages turbodbc, sktime, and tslearn. ...
1
vote
1answer
37 views
Should the license header be preceded by the copyright holder?
I'm open sourcing a proprietary codebase (license TBD, probably Apache) were all files have the header:
Copyright <company name>. All rights reserved.
Should this line be preserved in addition ...
0
votes
1answer
20 views
Separately licensing source code and website content
I am fairly new to actual open source licensing, since I usually just add the Unlicense to all my Github repositories, just to have it completely permissive for everyone.
I recently started a small ...
1
vote
1answer
29 views
MIT License for a translation
There's a software called vnpy on github that's in chinese.
We have a translated copy to english. The goal is to keep their MIT license but just for that code.
We're wondering: Should we make a ...
-1
votes
1answer
66 views
Can I distribute my program under LGPL if it has a password identification mechanism?
So I'm making an application which uses the python module PySide2 which is under LGPL. What I'm planning is to sell my program and make it non-distributable by making a unique password-identification ...
0
votes
1answer
55 views
Open Source license which allows only me for commercial use [duplicate]
I'm developing an application. I want to open source my application for non-commercial use in Github(I guess GPL v3). And I want to retain the rights to redistribute the same software with some ...
26
votes
4answers
5k views
Can an NDA block GPL freedom number 4?
Let's say a company modifies a GPLv3 software. All it's employees can use the modified software and have access to the modified source code.
The company's employees don't have the right to distribute ...
1
vote
1answer
53 views
Where can I find a final, authoritative, clear list of how to handle “license snippets” for common licenses?
I am looking for an authoritative, clear and up-to-date document on what exactly a person or an institution has to do for the so-called "license snippets"/"license notice" for ...
3
votes
1answer
39 views
MOZILLA PUBLIC LICENSE 1.1: Do I have to update all my source code files in a proprietary software project if I include a lib with MPL v1.1?
I am planning to use Hunspell lib which is under MOZILLA PUBLIC LICENSE 1.1 for proprietary software.
Here https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/MPL/1.1/ it says in 3.5. Required Notices: "You must ...
2
votes
1answer
42 views
GoogleSignIn license in my app's licenses list view
I made an app for iOS and before publication I have to make view, where I list all used 3rd party libraries licenses. Unfortunately, I cannot find license for GoogleSignIn SDK for iOS. This package is ...
1
vote
1answer
71 views
MongoDB's SSPL license: what does “offering as a service” actually mean?
I actually find MongoDB's SSPL license quite hard to understand, especially when thinking about what might constitute „offering MongoDB as a service“.
While I do understand that the primary intention ...
1
vote
0answers
93 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
23 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
58 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
69 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
58 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
24 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
104 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
65 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
59 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
75 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
28 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
111 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
50 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
333 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
37 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
28 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
51 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
45 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
68 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
43 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
53 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
43 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
56 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
185 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
86 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
128 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
207 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
190 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
97 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
52 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
114 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 ...
