Assistance requested in developing Free SW license for Tcl extension
Rolf Hewland
I've posted regarding this issue on comp.software.licensing, but to no
avail. I've tried searching the web for any forum where I might be
able to get help with this, but I've come up empty. So since my issue
revolves around a Tcl extension I'm writing that I'd like to release
as Free software (as per FSF defintion), I turn to this community.
Hopefully someone can and will help.
I'm trying to write a Free Software license (as per FSF definitions of
"Free Software") that embodies concepts from several popular licenses
such as the GPL and the Artistic License, but imposes additional
requirements on the use of the software within commercial packages (as
opposed to the BSD license) without being "viral" like the GPL. I
would like to have a license that is Free and GPL-compatible yet makes
sure that commercial uses occur only with the appropriate
acknowledgments. I think that's fair.
I'm having trouble ironing out the phraseology of what I've written so
far, and I'm not sure about the what and how of making it more elegant
from a language perspective without compromising the legal aspects.
I would appreciate some assistance in getting license language
questions along these lines answered. Assistance is welcomed from
anyone that's dealt with these issues, not just lawyers (though
lawyers familiar with Free Software are definitely sought), and of
course there would be absolutely no liability for any sort of advice,
etc.
Can someone (via posts to the NG, e-mail to this address is ignored)
point me to a mailing list, web site, or otherwise provide e-mail
addresses (antispammed of course) of parties willing to help me in
this endeavor?
Thanks very much.
David N. Welton
> I'm having trouble ironing out the phraseology of what I've written so
> far, and I'm not sure about the what and how of making it more elegant
> from a language perspective without compromising the legal aspects.
http://www.dina.kvl.dk/~abraham/rants/license.html
You should choose an existing license instead of creating a new one.
The link above gives good reasons for using existing licenses. They
pretty much cover anything you could want.
--
David N. Welton
Consulting: http://www.dedasys.com/
Personal: http://www.dedasys.com/davidw/
Free Software: http://www.dedasys.com/freesoftware/
Apache Tcl: http://tcl.apache.org/
lvi...@yahoo.com
According to Rolf Hewland <googlegrou...@yahoo.com>:
:I'm trying to write a Free Software license (as per FSF definitions of
^^^^
:"Free Software") that embodies concepts from several popular licenses
^^^^^^^^^^^^^
:such as the GPL and the Artistic License, but imposes additional
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
:requirements on the use of the software within commercial packages (as
^^^^^^^^^^^^
Help me understand the idea of using the phrases "free software" and
"imposes additional requirements" together...
:yet makes
:sure that commercial uses occur only with the appropriate
:acknowledgments.
Define "appropriate acknowledgments". Do you mean
"give the programmers financial compensation",
"give screen real estate to appropriate copyright notices",
"require copyright info to remain with source module",
or something else?
:I'm having trouble ironing out the phraseology of what I've written so
:far, and I'm not sure about the what and how of making it more elegant
:from a language perspective without compromising the legal aspects.
I suspect that you need to visit some place like misc.legal.computing
and to also understand that you will likely need to hire intellectual
property experts if you have strong enough concern about this matter;
otherwise, you end up with the old "operating on your own brain"
type of problem...
:Can someone (via posts to the NG, e-mail to this address is ignored)
:point me to a mailing list, web site, or otherwise provide e-mail
:addresses (antispammed of course) of parties willing to help me in
:this endeavor?
I would think that someone at SourceForge might be up on these issues -
they cover a variety of 'free' licenses there.
--
"I know of vanishingly few people ... who choose to use ksh." "I'm a minority!"
<URL: mailto:lvi...@cas.org> <URL: http://www.purl.org/NET/lvirden/>
Even if explicitly stated to the contrary, nothing in this posting
should be construed as representing my employer's opinions.