LinuxSA Mailing list archives

  From: Adam Ingerman <OZ_Prophet@austarnet.com.au>
  To  : <linuxsa@linuxsa.org.au>
  Date: Fri, 25 Jul 2003 01:11:28 +0930

license holy war

what I now think I'm after, and what it sounds like some other people may be 
interested in as well, is something where other people can do as they like 
with my code, provided that my code, unmodified, is included. you want to 
download my_great_new_library.tar.bz2 and sell something with two lines 
changed for $100,000? okay, just include my file too, or make it freely 
available on the net, whichever. you've gained a lot from using my work, so 
surely you can see handing out my work to others as well as a fair 
compromise, while you can do whatever you like with yours. or, on the other 
hand, you download my gif_to_png.tar.bz2 file, and build an entire graphics 
suite out of it, my work isn't that big in comparison, and neither is the 
added effort of making available my work.
there are a few variable here, like if someone can distribute just one file 
(with license and whatever else for human consumption) from my package, and 
not have to offer the entire collection of my works.
but either way, I'm not infringing anyone else's right to license their work 
as they desire, and my name and work will remain the way I want, which covers 
the 'raising my name' part, as well as the part of other people taking 
credit, because credit has to be given.

while, ideally, I'd prefer for everyone who uses or builds on my work to also 
make it available to all, as I did, I don't want to force them to do so. but 
at the same time, they aren't able to take what I've done away from me.

with the one proviso that my work is made available verbatim when used by 
someone else, I don't feel the need to limit how else they can use it, in 
order that it remain free.

I also don't really want closed source stuff to take advantage of what I make 
open, but then, if they have to distribute some open source work to use it, 
them that's probably a nice irony

if there is a license out there I haven't seen that does match what I've said, 
please point me in that direction, but otherwise, can anyone see any holes in 
my ideas?

cheers, Adam

-- 
You're only young once. you can be immature forever.

-- 
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