Questions tagged [open-source-definition]
Use this tag for questions about the definition of open source
88
questions
2
votes
1
answer
66
views
Publish open source
I use iText in my application
Is the application considered open source if I put the AGPL3 license when publishing the application on Google Play only?, or I must to do something else to considered ...
0
votes
1
answer
129
views
What type of license is protected my source from publishing the compiled product for free? [closed]
I am working on a commercial iOS application and recently I have made my mind to make it open source If I can find a proper license which fits my needs.
This application is an end-product application, ...
1
vote
1
answer
70
views
Can my app have login authentication and be open source?
This might be a bit of a stupid question. But can I have login features (so send data to my server) and have my app be open-source? Or might this be a security risk?
Thanks!
13
votes
4
answers
2k
views
Is there a way to only permit open-source mods for my video game to stop people from stealing code or at least enforce proper attribution?
I want to prevent mod developers from stealing code from other mod developers in my game. The best way that I know how is to only ever support mods that are open-source. I know about the SteamWorkshop ...
6
votes
2
answers
962
views
Is nopCommerce really open source?
I was very curious about the way this project was published, under an NPL license.
From what I understand, this license is similar to the GPL v3.0, except that it adds an additional restriction: "...
1
vote
0
answers
66
views
Open Source - With Intellectual property
Recently I have been to open-source stuff and most of the time I license my projects under MIT License.
While open-sourcing projects, how do I "exclude" certain files and assets like "...
3
votes
1
answer
77
views
What notice should Bob give when he takes a web app under Apache2, changes UI and the database, then hosts it?
Question asked here, but without much attention; posting here.
Please write a bit of detail steps on how to follow Apache2 requirements for a new beginner, (whose native language is not English,) ...
3
votes
3
answers
885
views
Release a BSD-licensed but closed-source program?
The BSD/MIT license only mentions things about redistribution. But I don't see any restrictions on the initial release of a BSD-licensed program. Is it possible that I write a program, but only ...
5
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Can we use a previous release of an open source project when it had Apache 2.0 license for commercial purpose?
If an open source project which had Apache 2.0 license, has now changed its license to non-commercial use license, can we use a previous release(when it was free for commercial use) of the project for ...
2
votes
1
answer
152
views
Web app with GPLv3 license, What does it mean by "6. If you modify it, you have to indicate changes made to the code."?
Apologize for my limited English skill.
A web app with GPLv3 license on GitHub, I plan to use it and hopefully Ads revenue can help pay for the VPS and my time of maintaining it. By using it, I will ...
1
vote
1
answer
115
views
Which open-source license allows everything except warranty?
The most permissive liscense known to me, Creative Commons Zero disallows patenting of the source but I would like to grant all permissions except warranty.
2
votes
1
answer
105
views
Is the Ender 3 V2 licensed under the same license as the original?
Somewhere in 2018, it was a big deal when Chinese company Creality made their Ender 3 printer 'truly open source', as acknowledged by the Open Source HardWare Association. See for example this YouTube ...
3
votes
1
answer
177
views
Distributing GPL binary which has no source and unresponsive author
I was found in a situation where some author published a binary which was widely used. Unfortunately he never shared the source despite marking the program as GPL (version not specified). Despite ...
1
vote
1
answer
1k
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....
22
votes
1
answer
7k
views
How to avoid being AWSed?
Elastic built the tool, AWS redistributed it and is dominating the market. Elastic is probably going to struggle and slowly die because they are bad at business. However, they built a great tool and ...
1
vote
0
answers
30
views
In what cases do open source licenses conditions apply? [duplicate]
Apache v2, MIL, GNU, and many others. They all have certain conditions you have to follow. But in what cases? What if I want to use Apache v2 (for example) software that generates... let's say images. ...
2
votes
1
answer
268
views
Can I use a software published under AGPL as an unaltered webservice without either publishing my source code under AGPL or buying a licence?
My program is commercial, but the AGPL library would be a back end solution; only the output from that web service is being used. I was told that since I am not modifying the library I do not need to ...
13
votes
4
answers
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 ...
-2
votes
2
answers
49
views
What's the website that gives a very simple list of what's required of an Open Source License [closed]
I remember a website that you could use that provided a very simple list in layman's terms of what's required from an open source license. Then it provided a link to the license. Can anyone tell me ...
1
vote
0
answers
62
views
does anyone know the location of Oracle's 3 different berkeley db source code repositories? [closed]
The Oracle corporation states that their 3 Berkeley DB family products Berkeley DB, Berkeley DB Java Edition and Berkeley DB XML are each offered under the OSS Affero General Public License. I have to ...
5
votes
1
answer
806
views
What kind of license is Redis' RSAL (Redis Source Available License)?
The name would suggest it's not FOSS, but source available, which is a pretty low bar.
But when I read about it, they seem to suggest that it's really only source available for specific use cases ...
12
votes
4
answers
4k
views
Is a software open source if its source code is published by its copyright owner but cannot be used without a commercial license? [duplicate]
Suppose I wrote a commercial program, and I publish its complete source code on my website. I retain all rights to the source code. No one gets any distribution or usage rights. They only have the ...
2
votes
0
answers
61
views
Which license should I use
I want to share my android project on GitHub, allow everyone contribute to it but I don't want them to upload the project to play store without changing anything. Because I will be doing it. Why I ...
25
votes
2
answers
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 ...
2
votes
1
answer
91
views
Company Copyright and Eclipse Public License at the same time?
stackexchange helped me out in many ways and right now I'm stuck with the next problem.
There is a company, my company paid, to extend an opensource code because we had no time. The original code is ...
1
vote
1
answer
484
views
Is it in line with the DCO that a github sign-off needs and publishes full name + an email "that matches the commit author"?
This is a full copy from https://stackoverflow.com/questions/62969381/is-it-in-line-with-the-dco-that-a-github-sign-off-needs-and-publishes-full-name
########
Coming from Stack Overflow where a pseudo ...
0
votes
1
answer
549
views
If closed source software is distributed along with open source software, will the resulting code still be open-source?
Suppose there is an open source project (a collection of open-source repositories) on GitHub. Can we include closed-source software in the same open-source repository?
(Specifically I'm referring to ...
5
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Is there a free open source version of Android SDK available for use?
When I download Android SDK from https://developers.android.com, I am prompted to agree with Google's EULA.
What should I use in order to avoid agreeing on these terms?
I'm under impression that ...
1
vote
1
answer
134
views
Which licensing model should I use to share software within a company?
This is just hypothetical at this point. So just doing some ground work to understand, if this is even possible. If yes, which licensing model is most appropriate?
Our company has several units. In ...
12
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Does "open source" always mean "open access"?
I will frame my question with a concrete example:
HELYX is a software based on another software OpenFOAM. OpenFOAM is an open-source freely-accessible software distributed with GPLv3 licence.
HELYX ...
1
vote
1
answer
99
views
Can FOSS software make API calls to proprietary systems?
I'm not sure if the distinction between free and open source software makes a difference for this question, so I'll use the term FOSS.
Can a FOSS platform make API calls to proprietary systems, such ...
0
votes
1
answer
83
views
Is any license needed, to build an open-source forum / community? [closed]
Is any license / paperwork need to build an open-source forum / community like stack overflow or like others Linux community site?
If needed then from where i can get license for my forum / community,...
10
votes
4
answers
4k
views
Is "open software" the same as "open source" software?
A company sells a closed source software product - one that they actively also obfuscate - and market it as "open and flexible". Similarly there is no public issue tracking and when major exploits are ...
-2
votes
1
answer
122
views
Use of open-source templates at GitHub, android studio templates
Is it allowed to publish a program that had been copied and UPDATED from GitHub on google play, let's say I had done this:
I went to GitHub and Cloned a project into my Android Studio.
I updated the ...
3
votes
1
answer
3k
views
How to fill the "name of copyright owner" in the license, if there are multiple authors?
There is an open source project, licensed under Apache License 2.0. It is abandoned, so I would like to fork it, do some significant modifications, and publish it again as an open source project, ...
3
votes
1
answer
112
views
Some questions about LGPL v.3 (support, warranty…)
I participate in the development of a soft that will be distributed on a commercial basis.
Question: 1. If I take the open-source Library (under LGPL v.3), will there be any obligations to support ...
0
votes
1
answer
33
views
What can I assume about the copyrightablity of a certain method of doing something programatically appearing on multiple websites
Hypothetical Scenario:
Lets say that, I need to find a way to delete an image from a list of images in a Java program. I go online to learn how to delete an image programmatically, and as I am ...
20
votes
2
answers
3k
views
If an employee modifies a copy of a GPLv3-licensed open source library, is the modified copy intellectual property of the company?
There is a GPLv3-licensed open source library on GitHub which is used by the company I work for in a central component of the business. The business does not sell software, but only a manipulation of ...
1
vote
1
answer
271
views
Can a company modify and use the source code of a GPLed library without selling it or releasing the modification?
I have a specific case here for which I could not find a clear answer here or on other pages. I am working for a company that is interested in using an open source code licensed under GPLv2. The ...
2
votes
1
answer
164
views
Can I put project using premium theme on github as public?
I am not very familiar with github and license copyright. I purchase metronic admin dashboard theme and built one project using it. So can I put this project on github as public so that others will be ...
3
votes
3
answers
221
views
Releasing the source code of a premium feature for another open program
If I use a compiled program/non compiled source code which is under a license that everyone has the rights do use and sell (Eg: GPL) and no one can deny any person to use or sell it and then I want to ...
1
vote
1
answer
71
views
Open Sourcing my API - Exposing my Database?
I have an API that I created myself here: https://db.ygoprodeck.com/api-guide/
I get roughly 20,000 requests per day on it but have asked by a couple of people to open source it.
I look into this ...
5
votes
2
answers
154
views
Proper licensing of commercial SW including open-source by the same author
I have written from scratch some SW that I want to publish as open-source in Github while being the only contributor.
I want to publish it under AGPL license.
At the same time I want to use the ...
3
votes
1
answer
97
views
Recreating assets from closed source projects
Recently I'm working on a game, where I have created some asset from closed source project.
To be honest I actually re-created assets similar identical to hill climb.
Now if I use those or I use ...
1
vote
1
answer
144
views
What is really accepted as an open source project for GPLv3?
Let's say I want to use a Javascript component that is under the GPLv3 license.
That forces me to license my product under an open source license compatible with GPLv3.
So, let's say I have an ...
2
votes
1
answer
1k
views
MySQL for Commercial Web Application
We have created a web application hosted on virtual machine for client access through web only, no distribution . The database we have used is MySQL Community Edition under GPL 2. The application is ...
3
votes
1
answer
229
views
How to distribute third-party open source components?
When using an open source component (say, licensed under CDDL), we are required to distribute the source code for any components directly derived from the component. Is it acceptable to just provide a ...
4
votes
1
answer
704
views
About of Apache 2.0 License
Hello everyone I'm going to use for my app ios the Google library "Tink" for cryptography End To End ... This library is released under an Apache 2.0 license, I wanted to know:
Can I easily use an **...
22
votes
1
answer
6k
views
SSPL and the Open Source Definition
MongoDB has decided to change the licensing of MongoDB Community Server, seemingly to prevent businesses from monetizing on their product without giving anything back: https://www.mongodb.com/press/...
-2
votes
1
answer
149
views
Practical steps to licence Free software and Open Source Projects [closed]
Several discussions have supported the subject of a software license and the majority are limited to offer explanations or definitions (GNU GPL, EULA, BSD License ... etc) without addressing the ...