Questions tagged [mit]
Use this tag for questions pertaining to the MIT/Expat license or the MIT/X11 license.
56
questions
16
votes
2answers
4k views
Combining code written under different licenses (Eiffel Forum License, MIT and Apache), what are my options?
So I'm new to all this licensing jazz, and I've just started work on a project I'd like to one day publish as open source.
I've found a couple of projects so far that have code to accomplish stuff ...
26
votes
2answers
12k views
MIT license and “All rights reserved.”?
I recently saw something like this:
Copyright (c) Some Corporation
All rights reserved.
MIT License
...
And then the MIT license follows. Now, from what I know the MIT license is one of the most ...
19
votes
3answers
12k views
If I'm using a GPL 3 library in my project, can I license my project under MIT license?
If I'm using a library that is licensed under GPL v3 in my project, can I license my project under the MIT license? I tried to read the GPL v3 text but I cannot understand it without your assistance.
8
votes
2answers
1k views
Which author/copyright holder “type” is allowed in the MIT license? Pseudonym, Company name, …?
In many licenses you have to (or can?) state who is the author of the project, which is the one who "owns" the intellectual property (= the copyright holder). In the MIT license it e.g. is said like ...
21
votes
2answers
10k views
Where to put license for MIT licensed code on website
I'm a freelance web developer building a site for a client. I found some code I'd like to use on CodePen which uses the MIT License. As far as I understand the license, I can use the code freely on my ...
10
votes
1answer
1k views
If I translate/port a repository from one programming language to another, do I need to use the license file (Github) from that original project?
If I translate/port a repository from one programming language to another, do I need to use the license file (Github) from that original project? Or can I use my own license file.
I intend to use the ...
129
votes
2answers
64k 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 ...
15
votes
2answers
1k views
How should I assert copyright when I'm forking an MIT project?
I have an open source software project licensed under MIT.
The MIT License (MIT)
Copyright (c) 2016 Håvard Fossli
Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any ....
I found ...
14
votes
1answer
663 views
Can I make typographical changes to the MIT license?
If I make some typographical changes to the default MIT license, does it still count as the MIT license?
Example
Copyright (c)© [year], [organisation]
Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to ...
9
votes
1answer
398 views
How should I re-license the scaffold code for my new application? (it is licensed under MIT)
If you notice the following scaffold starter kit source code is licensed under MIT throughout the code base. Even the configuration file contain a header of MIT licensed by the creator.
Assuming, I ...
9
votes
2answers
2k views
How can I use an MIT license for code but protect the copyright of photos in my repository?
My project is a fork of a project that comes with the MIT license and nobody wants to change the license that applies to the software. However, some of the content that is also stored on GitHub is not ...
9
votes
1answer
1k views
Adding feature to an Apache v2 package
I'm working on one npm package based on another one but with another approach, this package is licenced under Apache v2 and I want to use MIT. After some use of my package I've noticed I need to use ...
6
votes
1answer
409 views
Re-implementing MIT licensed software in another language
I have re-implemented a library in Golang which was originally in Python.
The original Python library carries an MIT license, which gives me "without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge,...
1
vote
1answer
146 views
can I remove files and folders in a PHP package without violating its license?
Let's say I'm working on a PHP application and I want to integrate some PHP packages like TWIG. Using Composer or some other automated management or code assisting technologies is irrelevant here. All ...
24
votes
9answers
7k views
Can I modify an open source license to require that I be notified?
I often use the MIT license for my projects.
But recently I've had the thought that I really would like to be notified if someone forked my software, whether it's for personal use, released or not I ...
9
votes
2answers
503 views
What license do I apply to my software if parts of its code is derived from MIT licensed open source software?
This is the first time I'm handling licenses and could use some guidance in this matter.
I have developed a piece of Java software where parts of the code is derived from different classes licensed ...
8
votes
1answer
2k views
Relicensing an MIT licensed project under the GPL that has non code contributions from others
I have an Android Game I've written that I released under the MIT license. Recently, there have been several people who have downloaded the source of my application, added ads and uploaded it to the ...
18
votes
1answer
4k views
How much is “substantial portion” in MIT licence?
MIT license says:
The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in
all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
How much is that substantial portion?
For ...
13
votes
1answer
2k views
How to licence a project which includes MIT, BSD, Modified BSD, and New BSD libraries
I've been working on a project for a while, and I'm almost ready to release it, but I've been more concerned with getting it to build than legal considerations, and now I'm not at all sure where I ...
7
votes
2answers
2k views
Does the MIT license's right to “sublicense” allow me to change the license of someone else's work?
I understand that, generally speaking, you may not issue a license on a copyrighted work if you do not own the copyright to that work. Licensing is an exclusive right of the copyright holder. Instead, ...
7
votes
1answer
682 views
What license options do I have for licensing ported source code?
If, I port Ruby on Rails (licensed under MIT) from Ruby to Java what license options do I have? Would I have to use MIT or a compatible license?
6
votes
1answer
576 views
I am using a MIT licensed module in a closed source project. What are my obligations?
I am using diverse module under the MIT license in my project. The project consist of a webserver, which will be closed source, commercial, and will not be distributed.
As I understand the MIT ...
4
votes
1answer
753 views
Release code with MIT dependencies under GPL
I am creating a game and want to release the code under a copyleft license (GPL 2 or 3).
So far, so good, but there are multiple MIT-licensed library dependencies.
Can I still release my code under ...
3
votes
2answers
300 views
Do I retain right to my extension's logo if I use MIT Licence in my Firefox extension?
I created a Firefox extension and put its code on GitHub. The code includes the logo of my extension for use as its icon. I created the that logo myself.
I want to build my portfolio and thus want to ...
2
votes
1answer
434 views
Is the MIT license suitable for documentation?
On choosealicense.com, there's a section that says:
Any open source software license or open license for media (see above) is applicable to software documentation
This implies that the MIT license ...
25
votes
4answers
2k views
License for code snippets?
I share small snippets of code with friends, and would like to post them online for others to use.
I'm not sure of the best license?
I was thinking MIT, but it includes this clause:
The above ...
11
votes
1answer
10k views
How to use MIT license in a project?
Let's say i used a MIT program as a base for a new project, and modified about 50% of the program files.
How should i specify that the program is a derivative work?
Do i need to keep track of every ...
7
votes
1answer
2k views
Where to show the MIT license for a webpage theme?
I have found 1-2 interesting Jekyll webpage themes that have the MIT license (on http://jekyllthemes.org/).
I want to use an adjusted version of these themes for my webpage and I understand that I ...
16
votes
1answer
6k views
Using GPL library with MIT licensed code
Let's say I created a project containing hundreds of source files under the MIT License (most of which I wrote myself for this project). Now I want to add a GPL library to the project, that will be ...
22
votes
2answers
6k views
Can I sell my MIT-licensed software if it is modified by others?
Suppose I create some software from scratch. I sell the software, but I also keep it open source under the MIT License. Someone forks my repository and makes some great improvements to my software. ...
12
votes
3answers
4k views
What if somebody removed my name from MIT license
Case: I developed a software and uploaded it to Github with MIT license.
To apply the license, I created a LICENSE file with MIT license preamble (as mentioned in choosealicense.com)
Somebody cloned(...
12
votes
4answers
3k views
If someone purchases a MIT license for code that is otherwise GPLv3, may they redistribute it? May they upload it on Github?
A fellow developer has done something that has made me curious, he has a popular javascript front-end package on GitHub which for years was licensed under MIT, then all of a sudden he released a v2 ...
6
votes
1answer
1k views
If I license software under the MIT license, will I be able to collect patent royalties?
The GPLv2 and GPLv3 has anti-patent clauses.
The GPLv2 patent clause is "liberty or death":
For example, if a patent license would not permit royalty-free redistribution of the Program by all ...
6
votes
2answers
865 views
Can I publish my iOS app store app code to GitHub under MIT/GPL
I am about to start developing an iOS app which will be published on Apple App Store.
While developing this app, I am thinking to push all the code to GitHub public repository; pull requests from ...
5
votes
1answer
148 views
Using public domain code within Apache-or-MIT licensed project
I'm interested in borrowing functions from a file in a project dual-licensed as MIT-or-UNLICENSE in my package that I intend to also be dual-licensed as Apache-or-MIT. Is this possible? How should I ...
5
votes
2answers
146 views
Can I move an in-line license to a file?
I am currently using a library that is licensed under MIT.
Each file of the library has a in-line comment containing the standard MIT license text in full length, which is kind of repetitive in my ...
2
votes
1answer
738 views
Is it still necessary to attribute MIT code if it has been modified?
If I take MIT licensed code, modify it, then use the modified code, is it still neccesary to attribute it to the original author?
Does this change if the project using the modified code is licensed ...
2
votes
1answer
68 views
Including copyrighted specifications in an MIT-licensed project
I am working on a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), library released under an MIT license, however, the sources contain XML specifications which are owned by the Bluetooth SIG.
As an example, here is an ...
1
vote
1answer
153 views
Most fitting software license for customized client work?
I am struggling with this question about a GitHub project of mine (MIT license). A client wanted me to customize it in a certain way and sell him the customizations (the customizations do not work ...
11
votes
3answers
306 views
Can I apply one license to specific users and another to others?
Suppose I am a developer. I am developing a piece of software. I decide I want to make this code open source. But... I only want developers (or people that will be using the code in other projects) to ...
8
votes
1answer
2k views
I want to make my private GitHub repo public; can I put part of it under MIT license, and keep the rest protected?
I have been working on a project that is hosted on GitHub in a private repository. The repo has three directories, call them frame, private1, private2. The frame directory is framework code used by ...
6
votes
2answers
315 views
How to use software published under MIT without copyright notice?
MIT License says:
The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
However, a few repositories do not have any ...
5
votes
2answers
924 views
How to apply the MIT License to a program including its embedded resource data?
I would like to apply the MIT License to all artifacts of an open source software project, i.e. its full source code, but also its resource data such as graphics or localized string lists that are ...
4
votes
2answers
211 views
Using a GPL 3.0 parser generator for an MIT licensed program
If I used a GPL 3.0 licensed program like jacc to generate a parser generator which I incorporate into an MIT licensed program, do I have to release my program as GPL?
Note that the grammar ...
4
votes
1answer
645 views
Front-End vs Back-end vs Redistributions - Must I disclose my source?
A couple of the gems that I'm using in my rails backend are MIT licensed and I do want to go commercial with this app - that being said the MIT license requires that I include the copyright and ...
4
votes
1answer
2k views
What's the usual procedure when using MIT or BSD-2-Clause licensed source code with something like `<script src="…`, `require(…` or `import …`?
This is not a legal question. It might touch the legal aspects around Open Source licenses but I need general help understanding how they work and what the usual procedure is.
Part 1 of my question: ...
4
votes
2answers
249 views
Can library that took parts of library licensed under GPL with Classpath Exception be licensed under MIT?
I've spotted the library (library M) where developers took some source files from GPL with Classpath Exception licensed library (library G), included them in their project and changed namespaces and ...
3
votes
1answer
461 views
Can I use proprietary library in a GPL-Compatible library loaded on a gpl Program?
I am asking mainly to be sure.
To describe it better, I want to use some external functionality that is available through a proprietary library. Since the library IS NOT compatible with GPL Programs, ...
3
votes
2answers
777 views
Monetizing and licensing with AGPL libraries
I am just curious about, what license should i use for app(android), i have written in my free time. I am using some libraries, which have this licenses on it:
Apache 2.0 license
MIT license
GNU ...
3
votes
3answers
127 views
Can an NPM package have an MIT license on github if it depends on MIT packages with BSD-2, BSD-3 and Apache 2 licenses
I am trying to understand if an NPM package can be open-source on GitHub with an MIT license if it depends on NPM packages that are open-source on GitHub with a BSD-2, BSD-3, Apache 1 or Apache 2 ...
