Eeli Kaikkonen wrote: > On Mon, 16 Jul 2007, Chris Little wrote: >> Another option is to write a GPL (2 or 3) derivative license that adds >> some additional restrictions to prevent some of the commercial abuses of >> our software that we've seen in the past: restrictions against changing >> the software title to hide its identity, restrictions against embedding >> ad banners, a requirement that CrossWire be notified prior to >> distribution of derivative works, etc. > > > That would be a very bad idea. It would make Sword non-Free and would > prohibit Linux distros like Debian distributing it. I definitely would > stop developing BibleTime (and other Sword related software) after that.
Whether the license would still result in free software would depend on the actual license terms. Of the three examples I listed, only the second, if written as an explicit prohibition on the "freedom" to embed adware, would result in non-free software. The others are entirely permissible in free software, at least as defined by Debian. I think I'd also add a requirement that distributors notify users that the software is free and include attribution and a link to CrossWire. --Chris _______________________________________________ sword-devel mailing list: sword-devel@crosswire.org http://www.crosswire.org/mailman/listinfo/sword-devel Instructions to unsubscribe/change your settings at above page
