Questions tagged [relicensing]
Questions about changing the license of a work which has already been published under a different license (or published under all-rights-reserved copyright)
159
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4
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Can the GNU LGPL be removed from a piece of software?
Maybe I'm searching with the wrong terms, but can the GNU LESSER GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE be removed from a software project like this browser extension? The commits in question are these
https://github....
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11
votes
1
answer
2k
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How can I protect the code from being 'rephrased' by AI to avoid license limitations?
I'm thinking of such issue (from the position of an open source/source available software developer).
In our days it is very easy to rephrase every text with the help of AI so that the meaning remains ...
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1
vote
0
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57
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Could a CLA be avoided by simply specifying in the license a particular owner who may grant closed source use? [duplicate]
One of the main purposes of a CLA (contributor license agreement), as I understand it, is to allow some owner of the software to have full rights to relicense the code if desired. This is rather ...
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-1
votes
1
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50
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If code is published in two places with different licenses and don't know which is the original
If some code is published in two different places by different people, one under the Apache license and one under no license, and I have no way to know which one is the original author (one of them ...
- 111
1
vote
1
answer
80
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License change for Derivative Works of Apache-licensed software, and GPLv2 compatibility
Section 4 of the Apache License v2.0 states:
You may add Your own copyright statement to Your modifications and may
provide additional or different license terms and conditions for use,
reproduction, ...
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3
votes
2
answers
110
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Is it possible to move from BSD-2-Clause-Views to BSD-2-Clause without contacting previous contributors
A project I'm maintaining is currently licensed under BSD-2-Clause-Views. I want to change it to the more widely used BSD-2-Clause.
https://spdx.org/licenses/BSD-2-Clause-Views.html
https://spdx.org/...
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3
votes
1
answer
97
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Do old versions of code get relicensed when newer versions of the code are relicensed under a more permissive license?
An open source software is developed in a publicly-accessible source code repository. Starting from the first commit, the source code is licensed under the GPLv3. There is only one copyright holder. ...
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3
votes
2
answers
159
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Does the EPL 2.0 allow recipients to use code under the terms of any later version of the license?
Does the Eclipse Public License 2.0 (EPL 2.0) allow recipients of code licensed under the EPL 2.0 to use the code under the terms of a newer version of the EPL? For example, when the Eclipse Software ...
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0
votes
0
answers
77
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What happens if I allow "any later version" of a license but later versions violate the spirit of the original license? [duplicate]
Some software are released under the GPLv3 "or (at your option) any later version".
Mozilla Public License 2.0 (MPL-2.0) allows recipients of the software to use MPL-2.0 or any later version:...
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3
votes
1
answer
246
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MIT license modify package and names
I have downloaded code that is under the MIT license, and will modify parts of the code, as well as rename classes, namespaces and files, and I plan to relicense the code under one or all of the ...
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3
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1
answer
98
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What must you include in a derived work of an MIT project?
I am very confused about how the MIT license works in detail. In layman's terms, I understand the following:
If you distribute copies of MIT source, then you must include the license, and the rights ...
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1
vote
1
answer
184
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Do I have to remove the license on zLib-licensed code project in order for it to be integrated into a GPL3, Apache2 or MIT-licensed codebase?
As the title states, if I take one code project that is under a zlib license, and incorporate it into a GPL3, Apache2 or MIT-licensed codebase, do I have to remove the license from the code project ...
- 113
1
vote
1
answer
106
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Can I use "public domain" data in MIT-licensed software?
I want to use a small dataset that a university professor posted on his web page (a list of English words). The data is part of a larger corpus of data that accompanies a textbook (written by said ...
2
votes
1
answer
369
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Apache 2.0 License redistribute with package/class name change
I have been modifying an open source Apache 2.0 licensed project and now I want to re-distribute the code under the same license but under MY SET OF REPOS as the original company isn't wanting my ...
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0
votes
1
answer
92
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Move away from MPL 2.0 to something like CPAL
I'm the author of Fulguris which is in conflict with Styx. Both projects are MPL 2.0. Fulguris is a fork of the decade old Lightning and Styx is just a rebrand of Fulguris. See also that other open ...
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2
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491
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Are you allowed to create a GPL fork of an MIT/Apache licensed project?
Consider the Kerla kernel. It's dual-licensed under the Apache 2.0 and MIT licenses. If I were to create a fork of that, would I be allowed to change my fork's license to the GPL? Until today, I was ...
1
vote
1
answer
78
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Choice of and conversion between licenses
I have found an article with links to compare license types, but as there are so many, it's still very hard to decide, so I will have to keep reading, but what I hope to find are answers to the ...
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2
votes
1
answer
103
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Can I redistribute to public domain a contribution I made to an MPL 2.0 licensed project?
I made a contribution to an MPL 2.0-licensed project a while ago. I am not the maintainer of this project, I don't own it and I'm not affiliated to it in any way (apart from this specific benevolent ...
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2
votes
1
answer
164
views
Does modifying build files (not source code) constitute a derivative work?
I am currently developing a library that uses libdwarf (licensed as LGPL 2.1). Suppose I modify the CMake files to get it to build with a different MSVCRT. What do I need to release and am I required ...
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0
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0
answers
26
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Can the license of a previously distributed binary be changed? [duplicate]
Let's say I have a programme X licensed under the GPL, to which I am the sole contributor and copyright holder. I distribute the binaries for X and provide the source code online as required by the ...
- 101
7
votes
1
answer
1k
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If a project only includes a copy of the GPL, can it be relicensed under any version?
There's a project that only includes a copy of the GNU GPLv2 accompanying it that I wish to combine with GPL-3.0-or-later code. Assume that simply including a license file applies it globally to the ...
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0
votes
0
answers
31
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Do significant changes to code allow a license change from 3-BSD to something else? [duplicate]
Suppose person X writes some library foolib, licensing it under the 3-BSD license.
Person Y now takes the foolib sources and develops it further, making significant changes: More functionality, ...
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3
votes
2
answers
438
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Grant less restricted license from an AGPL project
I have developed a library which is licensed under AGPL.
Before the library was licensed under MIT. I changed to AGPL because some commercial companies did use the library without commiting bugfixes ...
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1
vote
1
answer
190
views
Can I use a (modified) LGPL-2.1 library in my MIT-licensed library?
I am developing a Modbus library for use on microcontrollers.
Internally, I am using an (apparently) heavily-modified version of libmodbus (slightly-modified from the version that comes with ...
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19
votes
3
answers
7k
views
Can I relicense an abandoned GPL project if the copyright owners are no longer responsive?
Suppose I want to use GPL-copyrighted software in a closed-source project. With actively maintained projects I can contact the copyright holders to see if I can work out an agreement with them. But ...
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0
votes
1
answer
72
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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 ...
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1
vote
0
answers
33
views
How do I go about having stuff licensed differently in a project licensed under a different license?
Suppose my project A is licensed under AGPL v3.
Now I choose to include stuff (a filter list actually) from different sources, which are licensed under GPLv2, CC-BY 4.0, and I have combined them in a ...
6
votes
2
answers
507
views
Does the BSD licence implicitly apply to derived work?
Moved from the discussion of this answer, which makes the following claim about BSD licences:
The 3BSD licence requires (in clause 1) that your copyright notices be preserved, and that some licence ...
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1
vote
0
answers
26
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BSD 3-Clause License Changed to GNU General Public License v2.0 [duplicate]
I had previously downloaded an open source project under the BSD 3-Clause, which I am planning to make use of in a commercial product. As far as I understand, this license will permit this in a closed ...
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1
vote
1
answer
88
views
Can a copy-left licensed software mutate to a permissive one? Can a permissive licence mutate to a copy-left one?
I am a bit lost with license compatibility and re-licensing.
See this example:
Author Alice is author and holds copyright of software under GPL3. This software supports plugins.
Author Bob authors a ...
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2
votes
1
answer
242
views
When using a dependency with an Apache license but has sub-dependencies under GPL, do I need to open source my own code?
When using a dependency with an Apache license but has sub-dependencies under GPL, do I need to open source my own code?
Based on my own research, it appears I would have to abide by the full line of ...
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votes
1
answer
364
views
Transpiled Source-Code License & Copyright Holder
Can Transpiled Output Source-Code Have Different License And Different Copyright Holder Than Input Source-Code ?
Prj-A──>─┬─>Prj-TP──>────┬─>Prj-┐
(Apache) │(Python-to-C++)│ TP │
...
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votes
1
answer
164
views
Can you use a less restrictive open source licence from the one your depedency has?
Without loss of generality, suppose you have an open source Java project with Gradle as the build system, and you want to add the MIT licence to it. Consider the cases:
Case 1.
From the build.gradle ...
user20241
1
vote
1
answer
202
views
Is it a violation of the GPL (or any other license) for Linux images on Azure to have 'plans' associated with them in all future copies?
Some images on Azure are 'supported' via a 'plan' (see for example https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/windows/cli-ps-findimage).
See for example:
https://azuremarketplace....
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46
votes
5
answers
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views
Can there be a copyright on negative code?
This is a hypothetical question, but I am curious. Feel free to ignore it, when it seems too theoretical for you.
Some people may know the situation that you implement a feature and in the end you ...
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2
answers
142
views
Can code licensed under AGPL also be (re)licensed under LGPL by its contributor?
I have a puzzling question:
Somebody contributed to a AGPL licensed project (he is not the owner). Now this code could also be applied to a different project licensed under LGPL. Could the author of ...
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3
votes
1
answer
77
views
Credit for re-used public domain code?
If I get some code off of the public domain, and I make major changes, can I re-license it and put my copyright on it?
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41
votes
2
answers
4k
views
Do I have to change license of fork if mainstream changes license?
I forked a repository a year ago, which at the time had GPLv3 license. Mainstream repository has now applied AGPLv3 license. Do I have to change my license too ? My fork's last commit is over a year ...
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4
votes
1
answer
102
views
Change license from Ritchey Extra Permissive License v2 to Zero-Clause BSD
Can I take something which is licensed under the Ritchey Extra Permissive License v2, and use the sub-licensing clause to distribute it under the Zero-Clause BSD license?
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votes
2
answers
98
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Relicense a GPL 3 project which has other contributors
I am the author of an open-source program. I am the primary author, and the repository on github is owned by me. There are however, ~3 other individuals who have made a few dozen commits into the ...
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vote
1
answer
2k
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Using MIT/Apache License 2.0 project in a SaaS product, Limitations from its dependencies
I have a specific question with respect to using a project which is licensed under MIT/Apache 2.0 in a SAAS product (proprietary). The open source project have multiple dependencies, if any of the ...
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5
votes
1
answer
182
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Can I change the license of a forked project from LGPLv3 to MIT?
I have forked a project with LGPLv3 license and I did there a lot of changes.
Can I distribute a new version under the MIT license?
Or only the possibility is to write the code from "scratch"?
...
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1
vote
1
answer
75
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Tizen OS "sample" projects are all generated to contain the Flora license. Must derivative works also apply the Flora license?
When starting a new project in the Tizen Studio, you are given two options:
Start with a template project
Start with a sample project
The sample projects (like several watches, several simple apps, ...
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2
votes
1
answer
167
views
How does monetization of opensource app works?
I have a couple of questions regarding making a PRO version of an app.
If I want to make a PRO version with more features of my already
existing open-sourced MIT licensed app, what changes should I ...
6
votes
1
answer
676
views
Upstream re-licensing project from GPL-3.0 to MIT allowed?
Wappalyzer has recently been re-licensed to MIT; however, it was previously licensed under GPLv3.
I had opened an issue to clarify whether it was GPL-3.0-or-only, or GPL-3.0-or-later before this ...
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4
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Can I use open source code with Apache 2.0 license in my thesis?
Is it permissible? Do I need to specifically mention it somewhere in my thesis?
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1
answer
233
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Distribute binaries of GNU GPL licensed project without source as copyright holder
I don't quite understand what I, the copyright holder of a project, am permitted to do according to the license I have given my project. I want the source code for most versions of the project to be ...
1
vote
1
answer
88
views
Any lasting licensing implications from previously used, subsequently dropped library dependencies or usage licenses?
I will start off with this excerpt from Qt's legal faq to give some context:
3.13. I have started development of a product using the open source version of Qt, can I now purchase a commercial ...
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2
votes
1
answer
261
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Changing the open source license of a forked project (EUPL to GPL)
I believe context is important, so here is a little story.
Let's imagine (all characters and events in this story - even those based on real people - are entirely fictional) that Alice has developed ...
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11
votes
5
answers
4k
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Is it possible to change the current GPLv3 license to something else?
Essentially I am just testing out stuff, here is my situation:
I am developing a program which consists of several code files. I made a public repository on github where I regularly update those files....
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