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Survey Results

What type of source code license do you prefer?   [Edit]

Survey period: 22 Nov 2004 to 28 Nov 2004

What license would you use for code you wish to share with the community? Note that all options except the first and last assume that you would maintain copyright of your code.

OptionVotes% 
Public domain. ie you claim no copyright17319.31
Copyleft license such as the GPL24627.46
Unrestricted use and redistribution22224.78
Unrestricted use, but with redistribution in compiled form only9410.49
Restricted use (eg educational) with unrestricted redistribution192.12
Restricted use (eg educational) with restricted redistribution293.24
Developers must pay to license your code9510.60
None of the above (please comment)182.01



 
GeneralRe: GPL is Evil Pin
raouls23-Nov-04 19:31
raouls23-Nov-04 19:31 
GeneralRe: GPL is Evil Pin
Nemanja Trifunovic24-Nov-04 2:05
Nemanja Trifunovic24-Nov-04 2:05 
GeneralRe: GPL is Evil Pin
ed welch22-Nov-04 12:20
ed welch22-Nov-04 12:20 
GeneralRe: GPL is Evil Pin
Peter Ritchie23-Nov-04 6:18
Peter Ritchie23-Nov-04 6:18 
GeneralRe: GPL is Evil Pin
Nemanja Trifunovic23-Nov-04 8:26
Nemanja Trifunovic23-Nov-04 8:26 
GeneralRe: GPL is Evil Pin
Peter Ritchie23-Nov-04 10:09
Peter Ritchie23-Nov-04 10:09 
GeneralRe: GPL is Evil Pin
Anonymous26-Nov-04 2:32
Anonymous26-Nov-04 2:32 
GeneralIt really depends Pin
Marc Clifton22-Nov-04 0:54
mvaMarc Clifton22-Nov-04 0:54 
The decision to make software:

* commercial closed source
* commercial but you can buy the source
* open source licensed restricted to use in other open source products
* open source licensed with a fee for commercial use
* simply free retaining copyright
* simply free with no copyright

is really up to the developer(s). Unfortunately, I don't think developers think about the licensing/copyright complexities before putting something out in the public domain. There's a lot of code downloads on CP where there's no copyright from the author. (And the opposite is true too--there's times when the code is based on someone else's code without any acknowledgement).

There's an almost 10 year old article I found:
http://www.cjmag.co.jp/magazine/issues/1995/jun95/06piracy.html[^]

* Patent law provides a production/sales monopoly on inventions; though this
protection is broad, it requires thorough identification of prior art and
proof of the uniqueness of the invention.

* Copyright law establishes a set of (transferable) publication rights.

* Trademark law protects the identifying names, logos, and other symbols used in manufacturing or service businesses against unfair competition.

* And trade secret law protects unpatented and concealed processes, compounds, or tools with competitive advantage.

So it all depends on what the developer feels is appropriate for how he/she wants to establish the rules governing the use of the code.

What amazes me though is how emotional people get over open source licensing, and some the arguments that are so incredibly irrational. I guess it's hard to separate the zealotry that drives open source licensing from its usefulness.

Marc



MyXaml
Advanced Unit Testing
GeneralRe: It really depends Pin
jaxterama22-Nov-04 5:30
jaxterama22-Nov-04 5:30 
GeneralRe: It really depends Pin
Don Clugston22-Nov-04 16:46
Don Clugston22-Nov-04 16:46 
GeneralRe: It really depends Pin
Grimolfr23-Nov-04 4:51
Grimolfr23-Nov-04 4:51 
GeneralRe: It really depends Pin
Don Clugston23-Nov-04 11:27
Don Clugston23-Nov-04 11:27 
GeneralRe: It really depends Pin
jaxterama23-Nov-04 5:18
jaxterama23-Nov-04 5:18 
GeneralRe: It really depends Pin
Chris Maunder22-Nov-04 16:46
cofounderChris Maunder22-Nov-04 16:46 
GeneralRe: It really depends Pin
Marc Clifton23-Nov-04 1:13
mvaMarc Clifton23-Nov-04 1:13 
GeneralRe: It really depends Pin
Dennis C. Dietrich25-Nov-04 12:18
Dennis C. Dietrich25-Nov-04 12:18 
GeneralBSD Pin
Michael P Butler21-Nov-04 23:28
Michael P Butler21-Nov-04 23:28 
GeneralRe: BSD Pin
Super Lloyd22-Nov-04 12:11
Super Lloyd22-Nov-04 12:11 
GeneralOpen-source and documentation Pin
WillemM21-Nov-04 22:21
WillemM21-Nov-04 22:21 
GeneralRe: Open-source and documentation Pin
Paul Selormey21-Nov-04 22:36
Paul Selormey21-Nov-04 22:36 
GeneralRe: Open-source and documentation Pin
peterchen21-Nov-04 23:24
peterchen21-Nov-04 23:24 
GeneralRe: Open-source and documentation Pin
WillemM21-Nov-04 23:43
WillemM21-Nov-04 23:43 
GeneralRe: Open-source and documentation Pin
Colin Angus Mackay22-Nov-04 5:53
Colin Angus Mackay22-Nov-04 5:53 
GeneralRe: Open-source and documentation Pin
Michael P Butler22-Nov-04 5:57
Michael P Butler22-Nov-04 5:57 
GeneralRe: Open-source and documentation Pin
Colin Angus Mackay22-Nov-04 6:25
Colin Angus Mackay22-Nov-04 6:25 

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