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<span>History</span> </div> </a> <button aria-controls="toc-History-sublist" class="cdx-button cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only vector-toc-toggle"> <span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-expand"></span> <span>Toggle History subsection</span> </button> <ul id="toc-History-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-Pre-1980s" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Pre-1980s"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2.1</span> <span>Pre-1980s</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Pre-1980s-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-1980s" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#1980s"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2.2</span> <span>1980s</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-1980s-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-1990s_to_2000s" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#1990s_to_2000s"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2.3</span> <span>1990s to 2000s</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-1990s_to_2000s-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-2010s" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#2010s"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2.4</span> <span>2010s</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-2010s-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Definitions" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Definitions"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3</span> <span>Definitions</span> </div> </a> <button aria-controls="toc-Definitions-sublist" class="cdx-button cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only vector-toc-toggle"> <span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-expand"></span> <span>Toggle Definitions subsection</span> </button> <ul id="toc-Definitions-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-OSI-approved_open-source_licenses" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#OSI-approved_open-source_licenses"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3.1</span> <span>OSI-approved open-source licenses</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-OSI-approved_open-source_licenses-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-FSF-approved_free-software_licenses" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#FSF-approved_free-software_licenses"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3.2</span> <span>FSF-approved free-software licenses</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-FSF-approved_free-software_licenses-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Conditions_in_free-software_licenses" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Conditions_in_free-software_licenses"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4</span> <span>Conditions in free-software licenses</span> </div> </a> <button aria-controls="toc-Conditions_in_free-software_licenses-sublist" class="cdx-button cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only vector-toc-toggle"> <span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-expand"></span> <span>Toggle Conditions in free-software licenses subsection</span> </button> <ul id="toc-Conditions_in_free-software_licenses-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-Copyleft" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Copyleft"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4.1</span> <span>Copyleft</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Copyleft-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Patent_retaliation" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Patent_retaliation"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4.2</span> <span>Patent retaliation</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Patent_retaliation-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Attribution,_disclaimers_and_notices" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Attribution,_disclaimers_and_notices"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4.3</span> <span>Attribution, disclaimers and notices</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Attribution,_disclaimers_and_notices-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Practical_problems_with_licenses" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Practical_problems_with_licenses"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">5</span> <span>Practical problems with licenses</span> </div> </a> <button aria-controls="toc-Practical_problems_with_licenses-sublist" class="cdx-button cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only vector-toc-toggle"> <span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-expand"></span> <span>Toggle Practical problems with licenses subsection</span> </button> <ul id="toc-Practical_problems_with_licenses-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-License_compatibility" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#License_compatibility"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">5.1</span> <span>License compatibility</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-License_compatibility-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Purpose_of_use" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Purpose_of_use"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">5.2</span> <span>Purpose of use</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Purpose_of_use-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Definition_conflicts" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Definition_conflicts"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">6</span> <span>Definition conflicts</span> </div> </a> <button aria-controls="toc-Definition_conflicts-sublist" class="cdx-button cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only vector-toc-toggle"> <span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-expand"></span> <span>Toggle Definition conflicts subsection</span> </button> <ul id="toc-Definition_conflicts-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-Permissive_versus_copyleft_opinions" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Permissive_versus_copyleft_opinions"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">6.1</span> <span>Permissive versus copyleft opinions</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Permissive_versus_copyleft_opinions-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Debian" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Debian"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">6.2</span> <span>Debian</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Debian-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Controversial_borderline_cases" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Controversial_borderline_cases"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">6.3</span> <span>Controversial borderline cases</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Controversial_borderline_cases-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Market_share" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Market_share"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">7</span> <span>Market share</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Market_share-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-See_also" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#See_also"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">8</span> <span>See also</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-See_also-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Notes" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Notes"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">9</span> <span>Notes</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Notes-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-References" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#References"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">10</span> <span>References</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-References-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-External_links" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#External_links"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">11</span> <span>External links</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-External_links-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </nav> </div> </div> <div class="mw-content-container"> <main id="content" class="mw-body"> <header class="mw-body-header vector-page-titlebar"> <nav aria-label="Contents" class="vector-toc-landmark"> <div id="vector-page-titlebar-toc" class="vector-dropdown vector-page-titlebar-toc vector-button-flush-left" title="Table of Contents" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-page-titlebar-toc" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox " aria-label="Toggle the table of contents" > <label id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-label" for="vector-page-titlebar-toc-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only " aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-listBullet mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-listBullet"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">Toggle the table of contents</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-unpinned-container" class="vector-unpinned-container"> </div> </div> </div> </nav> <h1 id="firstHeading" class="firstHeading mw-first-heading"><span class="mw-page-title-main">Free-software license</span></h1> <div id="p-lang-btn" class="vector-dropdown mw-portlet mw-portlet-lang" > <input type="checkbox" id="p-lang-btn-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-p-lang-btn" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox mw-interlanguage-selector" aria-label="Go to an article in another language. Available in 19 languages" > <label id="p-lang-btn-label" for="p-lang-btn-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--action-progressive mw-portlet-lang-heading-19" aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-language-progressive mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-language-progressive"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">19 languages</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ar mw-list-item"><a href="https://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%B1%D8%AE%D8%B5%D8%A9_%D8%A8%D8%B1%D9%85%D8%AC%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%AA_%D8%AD%D8%B1%D8%A9" title="رخصة برمجيات حرة – Arabic" lang="ar" hreflang="ar" data-title="رخصة برمجيات حرة" data-language-autonym="العربية" data-language-local-name="Arabic" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>العربية</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-bn mw-list-item"><a href="https://bn.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A6%AE%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A4_%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%AB%E0%A6%9F%E0%A6%93%E0%A6%AF%E0%A6%BC%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AF%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0_%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%87%E0%A6%B8%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B8" title="মুক্ত সফটওয়্যার লাইসেন্স – Bangla" lang="bn" hreflang="bn" data-title="মুক্ত সফটওয়্যার লাইসেন্স" data-language-autonym="বাংলা" data-language-local-name="Bangla" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>বাংলা</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-cs mw-list-item"><a href="https://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Licence_svobodn%C3%A9ho_softwaru" title="Licence svobodného softwaru – Czech" lang="cs" hreflang="cs" data-title="Licence svobodného softwaru" data-language-autonym="Čeština" data-language-local-name="Czech" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Čeština</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-es mw-list-item"><a href="https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Licencia_de_software_libre" title="Licencia de software libre – Spanish" lang="es" hreflang="es" data-title="Licencia de software libre" data-language-autonym="Español" data-language-local-name="Spanish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Español</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fa mw-list-item"><a href="https://fa.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D9%BE%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%87_%D9%86%D8%B1%D9%85%E2%80%8C%D8%A7%D9%81%D8%B2%D8%A7%D8%B1_%D8%A2%D8%B2%D8%A7%D8%AF" title="پروانه نرم‌افزار آزاد – Persian" lang="fa" hreflang="fa" data-title="پروانه نرم‌افزار آزاد" data-language-autonym="فارسی" data-language-local-name="Persian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>فارسی</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ko mw-list-item"><a href="https://ko.wikipedia.org/wiki/%EC%9E%90%EC%9C%A0_%EC%86%8C%ED%94%84%ED%8A%B8%EC%9B%A8%EC%96%B4_%EC%82%AC%EC%9A%A9%EA%B6%8C" title="자유 소프트웨어 사용권 – Korean" lang="ko" hreflang="ko" data-title="자유 소프트웨어 사용권" data-language-autonym="한국어" data-language-local-name="Korean" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>한국어</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-hy mw-list-item"><a href="https://hy.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D4%B1%D5%A6%D5%A1%D5%BF_%D5%AE%D6%80%D5%A1%D5%A3%D6%80%D5%A1%D5%B5%D5%AB%D5%B6_%D5%A1%D5%BA%D5%A1%D5%B0%D5%B8%D5%BE%D5%B4%D5%A1%D5%B6_%D5%A1%D6%80%D5%BF%D5%B8%D5%B6%D5%A1%D5%A3%D5%AB%D6%80" title="Ազատ ծրագրային ապահովման արտոնագիր – Armenian" lang="hy" hreflang="hy" data-title="Ազատ ծրագրային ապահովման արտոնագիր" data-language-autonym="Հայերեն" data-language-local-name="Armenian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Հայերեն</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-id mw-list-item"><a href="https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisensi_perangkat_lunak_bebas" title="Lisensi perangkat lunak bebas – Indonesian" lang="id" hreflang="id" data-title="Lisensi perangkat lunak bebas" data-language-autonym="Bahasa Indonesia" data-language-local-name="Indonesian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Bahasa Indonesia</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-it mw-list-item"><a href="https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Licenza_di_software_libero" title="Licenza di software libero – Italian" lang="it" hreflang="it" data-title="Licenza di software libero" data-language-autonym="Italiano" data-language-local-name="Italian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Italiano</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ky mw-list-item"><a href="https://ky.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%AD%D1%80%D0%BA%D0%B8%D0%BD_%D0%BF%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B3%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BC%D0%B4%D1%8B%D0%BA_%D0%BA%D0%B0%D0%BC%D1%81%D1%8B%D0%B7%D0%B4%D0%BE%D0%BE%D0%BD%D1%83%D0%BD_%D0%BB%D0%B8%D1%86%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%B7%D0%B8%D1%8F%D1%81%D1%8B" title="Эркин програмдык камсыздоонун лицензиясы – Kyrgyz" lang="ky" hreflang="ky" data-title="Эркин програмдык камсыздоонун лицензиясы" data-language-autonym="Кыргызча" data-language-local-name="Kyrgyz" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Кыргызча</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ms mw-list-item"><a href="https://ms.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lesen_perisian_bebas" title="Lesen perisian bebas – Malay" lang="ms" hreflang="ms" data-title="Lesen perisian bebas" data-language-autonym="Bahasa Melayu" data-language-local-name="Malay" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Bahasa Melayu</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ja mw-list-item"><a href="https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%87%AA%E7%94%B1%E3%82%BD%E3%83%95%E3%83%88%E3%82%A6%E3%82%A7%E3%82%A2%E3%83%A9%E3%82%A4%E3%82%BB%E3%83%B3%E3%82%B9" title="自由ソフトウェアライセンス – Japanese" lang="ja" hreflang="ja" data-title="自由ソフトウェアライセンス" data-language-autonym="日本語" data-language-local-name="Japanese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>日本語</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-no mw-list-item"><a href="https://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fri_programvarelisens" title="Fri programvarelisens – Norwegian Bokmål" lang="nb" hreflang="nb" data-title="Fri programvarelisens" data-language-autonym="Norsk bokmål" data-language-local-name="Norwegian Bokmål" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Norsk bokmål</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-pl mw-list-item"><a href="https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Licencja_wolnego_oprogramowania" title="Licencja wolnego oprogramowania – Polish" lang="pl" hreflang="pl" data-title="Licencja wolnego oprogramowania" data-language-autonym="Polski" data-language-local-name="Polish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Polski</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-pt mw-list-item"><a href="https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Licen%C3%A7a_de_software_livre" title="Licença de software livre – Portuguese" lang="pt" hreflang="pt" data-title="Licença de software livre" data-language-autonym="Português" data-language-local-name="Portuguese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Português</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ru mw-list-item"><a href="https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9B%D0%B8%D1%86%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%B7%D0%B8%D1%8F_%D1%81%D0%B2%D0%BE%D0%B1%D0%BE%D0%B4%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%B3%D0%BE_%D0%BF%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B3%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BC%D0%BC%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%B3%D0%BE_%D0%BE%D0%B1%D0%B5%D1%81%D0%BF%D0%B5%D1%87%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%B8%D1%8F" title="Лицензия свободного программного обеспечения – Russian" lang="ru" hreflang="ru" data-title="Лицензия свободного программного обеспечения" data-language-autonym="Русский" data-language-local-name="Russian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Русский</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sr mw-list-item"><a href="https://sr.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9B%D0%B8%D1%86%D0%B5%D0%BD%D1%86%D0%B0_%D0%B7%D0%B0_%D1%81%D0%BB%D0%BE%D0%B1%D0%BE%D0%B4%D0%BD%D0%B8_%D1%81%D0%BE%D1%84%D1%82%D0%B2%D0%B5%D1%80" title="Лиценца за слободни софтвер – Serbian" lang="sr" hreflang="sr" data-title="Лиценца за слободни софтвер" data-language-autonym="Српски / srpski" data-language-local-name="Serbian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Српски / srpski</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-vi mw-list-item"><a href="https://vi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gi%E1%BA%A5y_ph%C3%A9p_ph%E1%BA%A7n_m%E1%BB%81m_t%E1%BB%B1_do" title="Giấy phép phần mềm tự do – Vietnamese" lang="vi" hreflang="vi" data-title="Giấy phép phần mềm tự do" data-language-autonym="Tiếng Việt" data-language-local-name="Vietnamese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Tiếng Việt</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-zh badge-Q70894304 mw-list-item" title=""><a href="https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%87%AA%E7%94%B1%E8%BB%9F%E9%AB%94%E6%8E%88%E6%AC%8A%E6%A2%9D%E6%AC%BE" title="自由軟體授權條款 – Chinese" lang="zh" hreflang="zh" data-title="自由軟體授權條款" data-language-autonym="中文" data-language-local-name="Chinese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>中文</span></a></li> </ul> <div class="after-portlet after-portlet-lang"><span class="wb-langlinks-edit 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id="mw-content-subtitle"><span class="mw-redirectedfrom">(Redirected from <a href="/w/index.php?title=Free_software_license&redirect=no" class="mw-redirect" title="Free software license">Free software license</a>)</span></div></div> <div id="mw-content-text" class="mw-body-content"><div class="mw-content-ltr mw-parser-output" lang="en" dir="ltr"><div class="shortdescription nomobile noexcerpt noprint searchaux" style="display:none">License allowing software modification and redistribution</div> <p class="mw-empty-elt"> </p> <figure typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Software_licensing_spectrum.png" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f0/Software_licensing_spectrum.png/400px-Software_licensing_spectrum.png" decoding="async" width="400" height="165" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f0/Software_licensing_spectrum.png/600px-Software_licensing_spectrum.png 1.5x, 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.sidebar-list-title-c{padding:0 0.4em;text-align:center;margin:0 3.3em}@media(max-width:640px){body.mediawiki .mw-parser-output .sidebar{width:100%!important;clear:both;float:none!important;margin-left:0!important;margin-right:0!important}}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .sidebar a>img{max-width:none!important}@media screen{html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .sidebar:not(.notheme) .sidebar-list-title,html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .sidebar:not(.notheme) .sidebar-title-with-pretitle{background:transparent!important}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .sidebar:not(.notheme) .sidebar-title-with-pretitle a{color:var(--color-progressive)!important}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .sidebar:not(.notheme) .sidebar-list-title,html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .sidebar:not(.notheme) .sidebar-title-with-pretitle{background:transparent!important}html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .sidebar:not(.notheme) .sidebar-title-with-pretitle a{color:var(--color-progressive)!important}}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .sidebar{display:none!important}}</style><table class="sidebar nomobile nowraplinks hlist"><tbody><tr><th class="sidebar-title"><a href="/wiki/Copyleft" title="Copyleft">Copyleft</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-above"> Articles on copyleft licensing</td></tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading"> Topics</th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content" style="padding-bottom:0.6em;"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Copyleft" title="Copyleft">Copyleft</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Open-source_license" title="Open-source license">Open-source license</a></li> <li><a class="mw-selflink selflink">Free-software license</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Free_and_open-source_software" title="Free and open-source software">Free and open-source software</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Royalty-free" title="Royalty-free">Royalty-free</a></li></ul> <hr /> <p><i>Higher categories:</i> <a href="/wiki/Software" title="Software">Software</a>, <a href="/wiki/Freedom" title="Freedom">freedom</a> </p> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Free_and_open-source_software_licenses" title="Category:Free and open-source software licenses">Category:Free and open-source<br />software licenses</a></li></ul></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-navbar"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239400231">.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:inline;font-size:88%;font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .navbar-collapse{float:left;text-align:left}.mw-parser-output .navbar-boxtext{word-spacing:0}.mw-parser-output .navbar ul{display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;line-height:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::before{margin-right:-0.125em;content:"[ "}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::after{margin-left:-0.125em;content:" ]"}.mw-parser-output .navbar li{word-spacing:-0.125em}.mw-parser-output .navbar a>span,.mw-parser-output .navbar a>abbr{text-decoration:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-mini abbr{font-variant:small-caps;border-bottom:none;text-decoration:none;cursor:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-full{font-size:114%;margin:0 7em}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-mini{font-size:114%;margin:0 4em}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}@media(prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}}@media print{.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:none!important}}</style><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:Copyleft_sidebar" title="Template:Copyleft sidebar"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Copyleft_sidebar" title="Template talk:Copyleft sidebar"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Copyleft_sidebar" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Copyleft sidebar"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div></td></tr></tbody></table> <p>A <b>free-software license</b> is a notice that grants the recipient of a piece of software extensive rights to modify and <a href="/wiki/Software_distribution" title="Software distribution">redistribute</a> that software. These actions are usually prohibited by <a href="/wiki/Copyright" title="Copyright">copyright</a> law, but the rights-holder (usually the author) of a piece of software can remove these restrictions by accompanying the software with a <a href="/wiki/Software_license" title="Software license">software license</a> which grants the recipient these rights. Software using such a license is free software (or <a href="/wiki/Free_and_open-source_software" title="Free and open-source software">free and open-source software</a>) as conferred by the copyright holder. Free-software licenses are applied to <a href="/wiki/Software" title="Software">software</a> in <a href="/wiki/Source_code" title="Source code">source code</a> and also binary <a href="/wiki/Object_code" title="Object code">object-code</a> form, as the copyright law recognizes both forms.<sup id="cite_ref-fsm_2-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-fsm-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Comparison">Comparison</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Free-software_license&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Comparison"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <table class="wikitable"> <caption style="text-align: left;">Types of software license and similar licenses. The highlighted columns are free software. </caption> <tbody><tr> <th></th> <th style="background:#9EFF9E;color:black;vertical-align:middle;text-align:center;" class="table-yes"><a href="/wiki/Public_domain" title="Public domain">Public domain</a> & <a href="/wiki/Public-domain-equivalent_license" title="Public-domain-equivalent license">equivalents</a></th> <th style="background:#9EFF9E;color:black;vertical-align:middle;text-align:center;" class="table-yes"><a href="/wiki/Permissive_license" class="mw-redirect" title="Permissive license">Permissive license</a></th> <th style="background:#9EFF9E;color:black;vertical-align:middle;text-align:center;" class="table-yes"><a href="/wiki/Copyleft" title="Copyleft">Copyleft</a> (protective license)</th> <th><a href="/wiki/Non-commercial_activity" title="Non-commercial activity">Noncommercial</a> license</th> <th><a href="/wiki/Proprietary_license" class="mw-redirect" title="Proprietary license">Proprietary license</a></th> <th><a href="/wiki/Trade_secret" title="Trade secret">Trade secret</a> </th></tr> <tr> <th scope="row">Description </th> <td>Grants all rights</td> <td>Grants use rights, including right to relicense (allows <a href="/wiki/Proprietization" class="mw-redirect" title="Proprietization">proprietization</a>, <a href="/wiki/License_compatibility" title="License compatibility">license compatibility</a>)</td> <td>Grants use rights, forbids <a href="/wiki/Proprietization" class="mw-redirect" title="Proprietization">proprietization</a></td> <td>Grants rights for noncommercial use only. May be combined with copyleft.</td> <td>Traditional use of <a href="/wiki/Copyright" title="Copyright">copyright</a>; no rights need to be granted</td> <td>No information is made public </td></tr> <tr> <th scope="row">Software </th> <td><a href="/wiki/Unlicense" title="Unlicense">Unlicense</a></td> <td><a href="/wiki/MIT_license" class="mw-redirect" title="MIT license">MIT</a>, <a href="/wiki/Apache_license" class="mw-redirect" title="Apache license">Apache</a>, <a href="/wiki/Mozilla_Public_License" title="Mozilla Public License">MPL</a></td> <td><a href="/wiki/GPL" class="mw-redirect" title="GPL">GPL</a>, <a href="/wiki/GNU_Affero_General_Public_License" title="GNU Affero General Public License">AGPL</a></td> <td><a href="/wiki/Java_Research_License" title="Java Research License">JRL</a>, <a href="/wiki/Aladdin_Free_Public_License" title="Aladdin Free Public License">AFPL</a></td> <td><a href="/wiki/Proprietary_software" title="Proprietary software">proprietary software</a>, no public license</td> <td>private, internal software </td></tr> <tr> <th scope="row">Other creative works </th> <td>PD, <a href="/wiki/CC0" class="mw-redirect" title="CC0">CC0</a></td> <td><a href="/wiki/CC_BY" class="mw-redirect" title="CC BY">CC BY</a></td> <td><a href="/wiki/CC_BY-SA" class="mw-redirect" title="CC BY-SA">CC BY-SA</a></td> <td><a href="/wiki/CC_BY-NC" class="mw-redirect" title="CC BY-NC">CC BY-NC</a></td> <td><a href="/wiki/Copyright" title="Copyright">Copyright</a>, no public license</td> <td>unpublished </td></tr></tbody></table> <p>Free-software licenses provide risk mitigation against different legal threats or behaviors that are seen as potentially harmful by developers: </p> <table class="wikitable"> <caption>Frequently used protective and permissive licenses </caption> <tbody><tr> <th></th> <th>AGPLv3</th> <th>GPLv3</th> <th>GPLv2</th> <th>LGPLv3</th> <th>LGPLv2.1</th> <th>MPL-2</th> <th>BSD </th></tr> <tr> <th><a href="/wiki/Software_as_a_service#Criticism" title="Software as a service">SaaS/cloud</a> </th> <td style="background:#9EFF9E;color:black;vertical-align:middle;text-align:center;" class="table-yes">Yes</td> <td style="background:#FFC7C7;color:black;vertical-align:middle;text-align:center;" class="table-no">No</td> <td style="background:#FFC7C7;color:black;vertical-align:middle;text-align:center;" class="table-no">No</td> <td style="background:#FFC7C7;color:black;vertical-align:middle;text-align:center;" class="table-no">No</td> <td style="background:#FFC7C7;color:black;vertical-align:middle;text-align:center;" class="table-no">No</td> <td style="background:#FFC7C7;color:black;vertical-align:middle;text-align:center;" class="table-no">No</td> <td style="background:#FFC7C7;color:black;vertical-align:middle;text-align:center;" class="table-no">No </td></tr> <tr> <th><a href="/wiki/Tivoization" title="Tivoization">Tivoization</a> </th> <td style="background:#9EFF9E;color:black;vertical-align:middle;text-align:center;" class="table-yes">Yes</td> <td style="background:#9EFF9E;color:black;vertical-align:middle;text-align:center;" class="table-yes">Yes</td> <td style="background:#FFC7C7;color:black;vertical-align:middle;text-align:center;" class="table-no">No</td> <td style="background:#9EFF9E;color:black;vertical-align:middle;text-align:center;" class="table-yes">Yes</td> <td style="background:#FFC7C7;color:black;vertical-align:middle;text-align:center;" class="table-no">No</td> <td style="background:#FFC7C7;color:black;vertical-align:middle;text-align:center;" class="table-no">No</td> <td style="background:#FFC7C7;color:black;vertical-align:middle;text-align:center;" class="table-no">No </td></tr> <tr> <th><a href="/wiki/Patent_troll" title="Patent troll">Patent trolling</a> </th> <td style="background:#9EFF9E;color:black;vertical-align:middle;text-align:center;" class="table-yes">Yes</td> <td style="background:#9EFF9E;color:black;vertical-align:middle;text-align:center;" class="table-yes">Yes</td> <td style="background:#FFC7C7;color:black;vertical-align:middle;text-align:center;" class="table-no">No</td> <td style="background:#9EFF9E;color:black;vertical-align:middle;text-align:center;" class="table-yes">Yes</td> <td style="background:#FFC7C7;color:black;vertical-align:middle;text-align:center;" class="table-no">No</td> <td style="background:#FFC7C7;color:black;vertical-align:middle;text-align:center;" class="table-no">No</td> <td style="background:#FFC7C7;color:black;vertical-align:middle;text-align:center;" class="table-no">No </td></tr> <tr> <th>Proprietization </th> <td style="background:#9EFF9E;color:black;vertical-align:middle;text-align:center;" class="table-yes">Yes</td> <td style="background:#9EFF9E;color:black;vertical-align:middle;text-align:center;" class="table-yes">Yes</td> <td style="background:#9EFF9E;color:black;vertical-align:middle;text-align:center;" class="table-yes">Yes</td> <td style="background:#FFB; color:black;vertical-align:middle;text-align:center;" class="table-partial">Partial</td> <td style="background:#FFB; color:black;vertical-align:middle;text-align:center;" class="table-partial">Partial</td> <td style="background:#FFB; color:black;vertical-align:middle;text-align:center;" class="table-partial">Partial</td> <td style="background:#FFC7C7;color:black;vertical-align:middle;text-align:center;" class="table-no">No </td></tr> <tr> <th>Granularity / reach </th> <td>Project</td> <td>Project</td> <td>Project</td> <td>Library</td> <td>Library</td> <td>File</td> <td data-sort-value="" style="background: var(--background-color-interactive, #ececec); color: var(--color-base, inherit); vertical-align: middle; text-align: center;" class="table-na">— </td></tr> <tr> <th>Trademark grant </th> <td style="background:#9EFF9E;color:black;vertical-align:middle;text-align:center;" class="table-yes">Yes</td> <td style="background:#9EFF9E;color:black;vertical-align:middle;text-align:center;" class="table-yes">Yes</td> <td style="background: var(--background-color-interactive, #EEE); color: var(--color-base, black); vertical-align: middle; white-space: nowrap; text-align: center;" class="table-Unknown">?</td> <td style="background:#9EFF9E;color:black;vertical-align:middle;text-align:center;" class="table-yes">Yes</td> <td style="background: var(--background-color-interactive, #EEE); color: var(--color-base, black); vertical-align: middle; white-space: nowrap; text-align: center;" class="table-Unknown">?</td> <td style="background:#FFC7C7;color:black;vertical-align:middle;text-align:center;" class="table-no">No</td> <td style="background:#FFC7C7;color:black;vertical-align:middle;text-align:center;" class="table-no">No </td></tr></tbody></table> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="History">History</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Free-software_license&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: History"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1236090951">.mw-parser-output .hatnote{font-style:italic}.mw-parser-output div.hatnote{padding-left:1.6em;margin-bottom:0.5em}.mw-parser-output .hatnote i{font-style:normal}.mw-parser-output .hatnote+link+.hatnote{margin-top:-0.5em}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .hatnote{display:none!important}}</style><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">See also: <a href="/wiki/History_of_free_and_open-source_software" title="History of free and open-source software">History of free and open-source software</a></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Pre-1980s">Pre-1980s</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Free-software_license&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Pre-1980s"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>In the early times of software, sharing of software and source code was common in certain communities, for instance academic institutions. Before the US Commission on New Technological Uses of Copyrighted Works (CONTU) decided in 1974 that "computer programs, to the extent that they embody an author's original creation, are proper subject matter of copyright",<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-sail_book_4-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-sail_book-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> software was not considered copyrightable. Therefore, software had no licenses attached and was shared as <a href="/wiki/Public-domain_software" title="Public-domain software">public-domain software</a>. The CONTU decision plus court decisions such as <i><a href="/wiki/Apple_v._Franklin" class="mw-redirect" title="Apple v. Franklin">Apple v. Franklin</a></i> in 1983 for <a href="/wiki/Object_code" title="Object code">object code</a>, clarified that the Copyright Act gave computer programs the copyright status of literary works and started the <a href="/wiki/Software_license" title="Software license">licensing of software</a>. </p><p>Free-software licenses before the late 1980s were generally informal notices written by the developers themselves. These early licenses were of the "<a href="/wiki/Permissive_license" class="mw-redirect" title="Permissive license">permissive</a>" kind. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="1980s">1980s</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Free-software_license&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: 1980s"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>In the mid-1980s, the <a href="/wiki/GNU_project" class="mw-redirect" title="GNU project">GNU project</a> produced <a href="/wiki/Copyleft" title="Copyleft">copyleft</a> free-software licenses for each of its software packages. An early such license (the "GNU Emacs Copying Permission Notice") was used for <a href="/wiki/GNU_Emacs" title="GNU Emacs">GNU Emacs</a> in 1985,<sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> which was revised into the "GNU Emacs General Public License" in late 1985, and clarified in March 1987 and February 1988.<sup id="cite_ref-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-8" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Likewise, the similar GCC General Public License was applied to the <a href="/wiki/GNU_Compiler_Collection" title="GNU Compiler Collection">GNU Compiler Collection</a>, which was initially published in 1987.<sup id="cite_ref-9" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-10" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The <a href="/wiki/Original_BSD_license" class="mw-redirect" title="Original BSD license">original BSD license</a> is also one of the first free-software licenses, dating to 1988. In 1989, version<span class="nowrap"> </span>1 of the <a href="/wiki/GNU_General_Public_License" title="GNU General Public License">GNU General Public License</a> (GPL) was published. Version<span class="nowrap"> </span>2 of the GPL, released in 1991, went on to become the most widely used free-software license.<sup id="cite_ref-11" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-redhat2000_12-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-redhat2000-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-13" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="1990s_to_2000s">1990s to 2000s</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Free-software_license&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: 1990s to 2000s"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Starting in the mid-1990s and until the mid-2000s, the <a href="/wiki/Open-source_software" title="Open-source software">open-source</a> movement pushed and focused the free-software idea forward in the wider public and business perception.<sup id="cite_ref-14" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-14"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>14<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In the <a href="/wiki/Dot-com_bubble" title="Dot-com bubble">Dot-com bubble</a> time, <a href="/wiki/Netscape_Communications" class="mw-redirect" title="Netscape Communications">Netscape Communications</a>' step to release its webbrowser under a FOSS license in 1998,<sup id="cite_ref-netscapeopensource_15-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-netscapeopensource-15"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>15<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-16" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-16"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>16<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> inspired many other companies to adapt to the FOSS ecosystem.<sup id="cite_ref-17" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-17"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>17<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In this trend companies and new projects (<a href="/wiki/Mozilla" title="Mozilla">Mozilla</a>, <a href="/wiki/Apache_foundation" class="mw-redirect" title="Apache foundation">Apache foundation</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Sun_Microsystems" title="Sun Microsystems">Sun</a>, see also <a href="/wiki/Comparison_of_free_and_open-source_software_licenses" title="Comparison of free and open-source software licenses">this list</a>) wrote their own FOSS licenses, or adapted existing licenses. This <a href="/wiki/License_proliferation" title="License proliferation">License proliferation</a> was later recognized as problem for the <a href="/wiki/Free_and_open-source" class="mw-redirect" title="Free and open-source">Free and open-source</a> ecosystem due to the increased complexity of <a href="/wiki/License_compatibility" title="License compatibility">license compatibility</a> considerations.<sup id="cite_ref-18" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-18"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>18<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> While the creation of new licenses slowed down later, license proliferation and its impact are considered an ongoing serious challenge for the free and open-source ecosystem. </p><p>From the free-software licenses, the GNU GPL version<span class="nowrap"> </span>2 has been tested in to court, first in Germany in 2004 and later in the US. In the German case the judge did not explicitly discuss the validity of the GPL's clauses but accepted that the GPL had to be adhered to: "If the GPL were not agreed upon by the parties, defendant would notwithstanding lack the necessary rights to copy, distribute, and make the software 'netfilter/iptables' publicly available." Because the defendant did not comply with the GPL, it had to cease use of the software.<sup id="cite_ref-19" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-19"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>19<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The US case (<a href="/wiki/MySQL" title="MySQL">MySQL</a> vs Progress) was settled before a verdict was arrived at, but at an initial hearing, Judge Saris "saw no reason" that the GPL would not be enforceable.<sup id="cite_ref-20" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-20"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>20<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Around 2004 lawyer <a href="/wiki/Lawrence_Rosen_(attorney)" title="Lawrence Rosen (attorney)">Lawrence Rosen</a> argued in the essay <i>Why the public domain isn't a license</i> software could not truly be waived into public domain and can't be interpreted as very permissive FOSS license,<sup id="cite_ref-21" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-21"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>21<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> a position which faced opposition by <a href="/wiki/Daniel_J._Bernstein" title="Daniel J. Bernstein">Daniel J. Bernstein</a> and others.<sup id="cite_ref-22" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-22"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>22<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In 2012 the dispute was finally resolved when Rosen accepted the <a href="/wiki/CC0" class="mw-redirect" title="CC0">CC0</a> as <a href="/wiki/Open_source_license" class="mw-redirect" title="Open source license">open source license</a>, while admitting that contrary to his previous claims copyright can be waived away, backed by <a href="/wiki/Ninth_circuit" class="mw-redirect" title="Ninth circuit">Ninth circuit</a> decisions.<sup id="cite_ref-23" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-23"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>23<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>In 2007, after years of draft discussion, the GPLv3 as major update of the GPLv2 was released. The release was controversial<sup id="cite_ref-24" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-24"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>24<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> due to the significant extended scope of the license, which made it incompatible with the GPLv2.<sup id="cite_ref-gpl2gpl3comp_25-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-gpl2gpl3comp-25"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>25<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Several major FOSS projects (<a href="/wiki/Linux_kernel" title="Linux kernel">Linux kernel</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-torvaldsgpl_26-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-torvaldsgpl-26"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>26<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-byfield2011_27-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-byfield2011-27"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>27<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/MySQL" title="MySQL">MySQL</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-28" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-28"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>28<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/BusyBox" title="BusyBox">BusyBox</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-29" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-29"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>29<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-30" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-30"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>30<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Blender_(software)" title="Blender (software)">Blender</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-libredwg-gplv3-opinion_31-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-libredwg-gplv3-opinion-31"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>31<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/VLC_media_player" title="VLC media player">VLC media player</a><sup id="cite_ref-vlcgplv2_32-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-vlcgplv2-32"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>32<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>) decided against adopting the GPLv3. On the other hand, in 2009, two years after the release of the GPLv3, <a href="/wiki/Google" title="Google">Google</a> open-source programs office manager Chris DiBona reported that the number of open-source projects licensed software that had moved to GPLv3 from GPLv2 was 50%, counting the projects hosted at <a href="/wiki/Google_Code" class="mw-redirect" title="Google Code">Google Code</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-mattasay2011_33-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-mattasay2011-33"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>33<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="2010s">2010s</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Free-software_license&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: 2010s"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>In 2011, four years after the release of the GPLv3, 6.5% of all open-source licensed projects were GPLv3 while 42.5% were still GPLv2 according to Black Duck Software data.<sup id="cite_ref-byfield2011_27-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-byfield2011-27"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>27<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-34" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-34"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>34<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Following in 2011 <i>451 Group</i> analyst Matthew Aslett argued in a blog post that copyleft licenses went into decline and permissive licenses increased, based on statistics from Black Duck Software.<sup id="cite_ref-35" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-35"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>35<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-36" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-36"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>36<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>In 2015 according to Black Duck Software<sup id="cite_ref-blackduck2015_37-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-blackduck2015-37"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>37<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and <a href="/wiki/GitHub" title="GitHub">GitHub</a> statistics,<sup id="cite_ref-github2015_38-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-github2015-38"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>38<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> the permissive <a href="/wiki/MIT_license" class="mw-redirect" title="MIT license">MIT license</a> dethroned the GPLv2 as most popular free-software license to the second place while the permissive <a href="/wiki/Apache_license" class="mw-redirect" title="Apache license">Apache license</a> follows already at third place. In June 2016 an analysis of <a href="/wiki/Fedora_Project" title="Fedora Project">Fedora Project</a>'s packages revealed as most used licenses the GPL, MIT, BSD, and the <a href="/wiki/GNU_Lesser_General_Public_License" title="GNU Lesser General Public License">LGPL</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-anweshadas_39-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-anweshadas-39"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>39<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Definitions">Definitions</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Free-software_license&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: Definitions"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="OSI-approved_open-source_licenses">OSI-approved open-source licenses</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Free-software_license&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: OSI-approved open-source licenses"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/Open-source_license" title="Open-source license">Open-source license</a></div> <p>The group <a href="/wiki/Open_Source_Initiative" title="Open Source Initiative">Open Source Initiative</a> (OSI) defines and maintains a list of approved <a href="/wiki/Open-source_license" title="Open-source license">open-source licenses</a>. OSI agrees with FSF on all widely used free-software licenses, but differ from FSF's list, as it approves against the <a href="/wiki/Open_Source_Definition" class="mw-redirect" title="Open Source Definition">Open Source Definition</a> rather than the <a href="/wiki/Free_Software_Definition" class="mw-redirect" title="Free Software Definition">Free Software Definition</a>. It considers Free Software Permissive license group to be a reference implementation of a Free Software license.<sup class="noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact" style="white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (November 2015)">citation needed</span></a></i>]</sup><sup class="noprint Inline-Template" style="margin-left:0.1em; white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Please_clarify" title="Wikipedia:Please clarify"><span title="The text near this tag may need clarification or removal of jargon. (November 2015)">clarification needed</span></a></i>]</sup> Thus its requirements for approving licenses are different. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="FSF-approved_free-software_licenses">FSF-approved free-software licenses</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Free-software_license&action=edit&section=9" title="Edit section: FSF-approved free-software licenses"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The <a href="/wiki/Free_Software_Foundation" title="Free Software Foundation">Free Software Foundation</a>, the group that maintains the <a href="/wiki/Free_Software_Definition" class="mw-redirect" title="Free Software Definition">Free Software Definition</a>, maintains a non-exhaustive list of free-software licences.<sup id="cite_ref-40" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-40"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>40<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The Free Software Foundation prefers <a href="/wiki/Copyleft" title="Copyleft">copyleft</a> (<a href="/wiki/Share-alike" title="Share-alike">share-alike</a>) free-software licensing rather than permissive free-software licensing for most purposes. Its list distinguishes between free-software licenses that are compatible or incompatible with the FSF's copyleft <a href="/wiki/GNU_General_Public_License" title="GNU General Public License">GNU General Public License</a>. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Conditions_in_free-software_licenses">Conditions in free-software licenses</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Free-software_license&action=edit&section=10" title="Edit section: Conditions in free-software licenses"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>There exists an ongoing debate within the <a href="/wiki/Free_software_movement" title="Free software movement">free-software community</a> regarding the fine line between what restrictions can be applied and still be called "free".<sup class="noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact" style="white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (November 2016)">citation needed</span></a></i>]</sup> </p><p>Only "<a href="/wiki/Public-domain_software" title="Public-domain software">public-domain software</a>" and software under a <a href="/wiki/Public-domain-equivalent_license" title="Public-domain-equivalent license">public-domain-like license</a> is restriction-free.<sup class="noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact" style="white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (November 2016)">citation needed</span></a></i>]</sup> Examples of public-domain-like licenses are, for instance, the <a href="/wiki/WTFPL" title="WTFPL">WTFPL</a> and the <a href="/wiki/CC0" class="mw-redirect" title="CC0">CC0</a> license. <a href="/wiki/Permissive_license" class="mw-redirect" title="Permissive license">Permissive licenses</a> might carry small obligations like <a href="/wiki/Attribution_(copyright)" title="Attribution (copyright)">attribution</a> of the author but allow practically all code use cases. Certain licenses, namely the <a href="/wiki/Copyleft_license" class="mw-redirect" title="Copyleft license">copyleft licenses</a>, include intentionally stronger restrictions (especially on the distribution/distributor) in order to force derived projects to guarantee specific rights which can't be taken away. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Copyleft">Copyleft</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Free-software_license&action=edit&section=11" title="Edit section: Copyleft"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/Copyleft" title="Copyleft">copyleft</a></div> <p>The free-software share-alike licenses written by <a href="/wiki/Richard_Stallman" title="Richard Stallman">Richard Stallman</a> in the mid-1980s pioneered a concept known as "copyleft". Ensuing copyleft provisions stated that when modified versions of free software are distributed, they must be distributed under the same terms as the original software. Hence they are referred to as "share and <a href="/wiki/Share_alike" class="mw-redirect" title="Share alike">share alike</a>" or "<i>quid pro quo</i>". This results in the new software being open source as well. Since copyleft ensures that later generations of the software grant the freedom to modify the code, this is "free software". Non-copyleft licenses do not ensure that later generations of the software will remain free. </p><p>Developers who use GPL code in their product must make the <a href="/wiki/Source_code" title="Source code">source code</a> available to anyone when they share or sell the <a href="/wiki/Object_code" title="Object code">object code</a>. In this case, the source code must also contain any changes the developers may have made. If GPL code is used but not shared or sold, the code is not required to be made available and any changes may remain private. This permits developers and organizations to use and modify GPL code for private purposes (that is, when the code or the project is not sold or otherwise shared) without being required to make their changes available to the public. </p><p>Supporters of GPL claim that by mandating that derivative works remain under the GPL, it fosters the growth of free software and requires equal participation by all users. Opponents of GPL claim<sup id="cite_ref-41" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-41"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>41<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> that "no license can guarantee future software availability" and that the disadvantages of GPL outweigh<sup id="cite_ref-42" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-42"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>42<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> its advantages. Some also argue that restricting distribution makes the license less free. Whereas proponents would argue that not preserving freedom during distribution would make it less free. For example, a non-copyleft license does not grant the author the freedom to see modified versions of his or her work if it gets publicly published, whereas a copyleft license does grant that freedom. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Patent_retaliation">Patent retaliation</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Free-software_license&action=edit&section=12" title="Edit section: Patent retaliation"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Further information: <a href="/wiki/Patent_retaliation" class="mw-redirect" title="Patent retaliation">Patent retaliation</a></div> <p>During the 1990s, free-software licenses began including clauses, such as <a href="/wiki/Patent_retaliation" class="mw-redirect" title="Patent retaliation">patent retaliation</a>, in order to protect against <a href="/wiki/Software_patent" title="Software patent">software patent</a> litigation cases – a problem which had not previously existed. This new threat was one of the reasons for writing version<span class="nowrap"> </span>3 of the GNU GPL in 2006.<sup id="cite_ref-43" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-43"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>43<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In recent years, a term coined <a href="/wiki/Tivoization" title="Tivoization">tivoization</a> describes a process where hardware restrictions are used to prevent users from running modified versions of the software on that hardware, in which the <a href="/wiki/TiVo" title="TiVo">TiVo</a> device is an example. It is viewed by the FSF as a way to turn free software to effectively non-free, and is why they have chosen to prohibit it in <a href="/wiki/GPLv3" class="mw-redirect" title="GPLv3">GPLv3</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-44" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-44"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>44<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Most newly written free-software licenses since the late 1990s include some form of patent retaliation clauses. These measures stipulate that one's rights under the license (such as to redistribution), may be terminated if one attempts to enforce patents relating to the licensed software, under certain circumstances. As an example, the <a href="/wiki/Apple_Public_Source_License" title="Apple Public Source License">Apple Public Source License</a> may terminate a user's rights if said user embarks on litigation proceedings against them due to patent litigation. Patent retaliation emerged in response to proliferation and abuse of <a href="/wiki/Software_patents" class="mw-redirect" title="Software patents">software patents</a>. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Attribution,_disclaimers_and_notices"><span id="Attribution.2C_disclaimers_and_notices"></span>Attribution, disclaimers and notices</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Free-software_license&action=edit&section=13" title="Edit section: Attribution, disclaimers and notices"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The majority of free-software licenses require that modified software not claim to be unmodified. Some licenses also require that copyright holders be credited. One such example is version<span class="nowrap"> </span>2 of the GNU GPL, which requires that interactive programs that print warranty or license information, may not have these notices removed from modified versions intended for distribution. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Practical_problems_with_licenses">Practical problems with licenses</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Free-software_license&action=edit&section=14" title="Edit section: Practical problems with licenses"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="License_compatibility">License compatibility</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Free-software_license&action=edit&section=15" title="Edit section: License compatibility"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Floss-license-slide-image.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2b/Floss-license-slide-image.svg/400px-Floss-license-slide-image.svg.png" decoding="async" width="400" height="120" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2b/Floss-license-slide-image.svg/600px-Floss-license-slide-image.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2b/Floss-license-slide-image.svg/800px-Floss-license-slide-image.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1400" data-file-height="420" /></a><figcaption>License compatibility between common <a href="/wiki/FOSS" class="mw-redirect" title="FOSS">FOSS</a> <a href="/wiki/Software_license" title="Software license">software licenses</a> according to David A. Wheeler (2007): the vector arrows denote a one directional compatibility, therefore better compatibility on the left side ("permissive licenses") than on the right side ("copyleft licenses").<sup id="cite_ref-45" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-45"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>45<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></figcaption></figure> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/License_compatibility" title="License compatibility">License compatibility</a></div> <p>Licenses of software packages containing contradictory requirements render it impossible to combine source code from such packages in order to create new software packages.<sup id="cite_ref-46" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-46"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>46<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> License compatibility between a <a href="/wiki/Copyleft_license" class="mw-redirect" title="Copyleft license">copyleft license</a> and another license is often only a one-way compatibility.<sup id="cite_ref-47" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-47"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>47<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> This "one-way compatibility" characteristic is, for instanced, criticized by the <a href="/wiki/Apache_Foundation" class="mw-redirect" title="Apache Foundation">Apache Foundation</a>, who provides the more <a href="/wiki/Permissive_license" class="mw-redirect" title="Permissive license">permissive</a> <a href="/wiki/Apache_license" class="mw-redirect" title="Apache license">Apache license</a> which doesn't have this characteristic.<sup id="cite_ref-48" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-48"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>48<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Non-copyleft licenses, such as the FOSS <a href="/wiki/Permissive_licenses" class="mw-redirect" title="Permissive licenses">permissive licenses</a>, have a less complicated license interaction and normally exhibit better license compatibility.<sup id="cite_ref-whatlicense_49-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-whatlicense-49"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>49<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-joinup_50-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-joinup-50"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>50<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> For example, if one license says "modified versions must mention the developers in any advertising materials", and another license says "modified versions cannot contain additional attribution requirements", then, if someone combined a software package which uses one license with a software package which uses the other, it would be impossible to distribute the combination because these contradictory requirements cannot be fulfilled simultaneously. Thus, these two packages would be license-incompatible. When it comes to <a href="/wiki/Copyleft" title="Copyleft">copyleft</a> software licenses, they are not inherently compatible with other copyleft licenses, even the GPLv2 is, by itself, not compatible with the GPLv3.<sup id="cite_ref-gpl2gpl3comp_25-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-gpl2gpl3comp-25"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>25<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-landley2013_51-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-landley2013-51"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>51<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Purpose_of_use">Purpose of use</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Free-software_license&action=edit&section=16" title="Edit section: Purpose of use"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Restrictions on use of a software ("use restrictions") are generally unacceptable according to the FSF, <a href="/wiki/Open_Source_Initiative" title="Open Source Initiative">OSI</a>, <a href="/wiki/Debian" title="Debian">Debian</a>, or the BSD-based distributions. Examples include prohibiting that the software be used for non-private applications, for military purposes, for comparison or benchmarking, for good use,<sup class="noprint Inline-Template" style="margin-left:0.1em; white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Please_clarify" title="Wikipedia:Please clarify"><span title="The text near this tag may need clarification or removal of jargon. (December 2016)">clarification needed</span></a></i>]</sup> for ethically questionable means,<sup id="cite_ref-52" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-52"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>52<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> or in commercial organizations.<sup id="cite_ref-53" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-53"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>53<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> While some restrictions on user freedom, e.g. concerning nuclear war, seem to enjoy moral support among most free software developers,<sup id="cite_ref-54" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-54"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>54<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> it is generally believed that such agendas should not be served through software licenses; among other things because of practical aspects such as resulting legal uncertainties and problems with enforceability of vague, broad and/or subjective criteria or because tool makers are generally not held responsible for other people's use of their tools. Nevertheless some projects include legally non-binding pleas to the user, prominently <a href="/wiki/SQLite" title="SQLite">SQLite</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-55" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-55"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>55<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Among the repeated attempts<sup id="cite_ref-56" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-56"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>56<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-57" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-57"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>57<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-58" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-58"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>58<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> by developers to regulate user behavior through the license that sparked wider debate are <a href="/wiki/Douglas_Crockford" title="Douglas Crockford">Douglas Crockford</a>'s (joking) “no evil” clause, which affected the release process of the Debian distribution in 2012<sup id="cite_ref-59" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-59"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>59<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and got the JSMin-PHP project expelled from <a href="/wiki/Google_Code" class="mw-redirect" title="Google Code">Google Code</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-60" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-60"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>60<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> the addition of a pacifist condition based on <a href="/wiki/Three_Laws_of_Robotics" title="Three Laws of Robotics">Asimov's First Law of Robotics</a> to the GPL for the distributed computing software <i>GPU</i> in 2005,<sup id="cite_ref-61" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-61"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>61<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> as well as several software projects trying to exclude use by big cloud providers.<sup id="cite_ref-62" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-62"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>62<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-63" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-63"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>63<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Definition_conflicts">Definition conflicts</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Free-software_license&action=edit&section=17" title="Edit section: Definition conflicts"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>As there are several defining organizations and groups who publish definitions and guidelines about FOSS licenses, notably the FSF, the OSI, the Debian project, and the BSDs, there are sometimes conflicting opinions and interpretations. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Permissive_versus_copyleft_opinions">Permissive versus copyleft opinions</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Free-software_license&action=edit&section=18" title="Edit section: Permissive versus copyleft opinions"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1251242444">.mw-parser-output .ambox{border:1px solid #a2a9b1;border-left:10px solid #36c;background-color:#fbfbfb;box-sizing:border-box}.mw-parser-output .ambox+link+.ambox,.mw-parser-output .ambox+link+style+.ambox,.mw-parser-output .ambox+link+link+.ambox,.mw-parser-output .ambox+.mw-empty-elt+link+.ambox,.mw-parser-output .ambox+.mw-empty-elt+link+style+.ambox,.mw-parser-output .ambox+.mw-empty-elt+link+link+.ambox{margin-top:-1px}html body.mediawiki .mw-parser-output .ambox.mbox-small-left{margin:4px 1em 4px 0;overflow:hidden;width:238px;border-collapse:collapse;font-size:88%;line-height:1.25em}.mw-parser-output .ambox-speedy{border-left:10px solid #b32424;background-color:#fee7e6}.mw-parser-output .ambox-delete{border-left:10px solid #b32424}.mw-parser-output .ambox-content{border-left:10px solid #f28500}.mw-parser-output .ambox-style{border-left:10px solid #fc3}.mw-parser-output .ambox-move{border-left:10px solid #9932cc}.mw-parser-output .ambox-protection{border-left:10px solid #a2a9b1}.mw-parser-output .ambox .mbox-text{border:none;padding:0.25em 0.5em;width:100%}.mw-parser-output .ambox .mbox-image{border:none;padding:2px 0 2px 0.5em;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .ambox .mbox-imageright{border:none;padding:2px 0.5em 2px 0;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .ambox .mbox-empty-cell{border:none;padding:0;width:1px}.mw-parser-output .ambox .mbox-image-div{width:52px}@media(min-width:720px){.mw-parser-output .ambox{margin:0 10%}}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .ambox{display:none!important}}</style><table class="box-Unbalanced plainlinks metadata ambox ambox-content ambox-unbalanced" role="presentation"><tbody><tr><td class="mbox-image"><div class="mbox-image-div"><span class="skin-invert" typeof="mw:File"><span><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fe/Unbalanced_scales.svg/45px-Unbalanced_scales.svg.png" decoding="async" width="45" height="40" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fe/Unbalanced_scales.svg/68px-Unbalanced_scales.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fe/Unbalanced_scales.svg/90px-Unbalanced_scales.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="400" data-file-height="354" /></span></span></div></td><td class="mbox-text"><div class="mbox-text-span">This section <b>may be <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view#Undue_weight" title="Wikipedia:Neutral point of view">unbalanced</a> toward certain viewpoints</b>.<span class="hide-when-compact"> Please <a class="external text" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Free-software_license&action=edit">improve the article</a> by adding information on neglected viewpoints, or discuss the issue on the <a href="/wiki/Talk:Free-software_license" title="Talk:Free-software license">talk page</a>.</span> <span class="date-container"><i>(<span class="date">July 2020</span>)</i></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table> <p>Many users and developers of <a href="/wiki/Berkeley_Software_Distribution" title="Berkeley Software Distribution">BSD</a>-based operating systems have a different position on licensing. The main difference is the belief that the <a href="/wiki/Copyleft" title="Copyleft">copyleft</a> licenses, particularly the <a href="/wiki/GNU_General_Public_License" title="GNU General Public License">GNU General Public License</a> (GPL), are undesirably complicated and/or restrictive.<sup id="cite_ref-64" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-64"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>64<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The GPL requires any derivative work to also be released according to the GPL while the <a href="/wiki/BSD_licenses" title="BSD licenses">BSD license</a> does not. Essentially, the BSD license's only requirement is to acknowledge the original authors, and poses no restrictions on how the <a href="/wiki/Source_code" title="Source code">source code</a> may be used. </p><p>As a result, BSD code can be used in <a href="/wiki/Proprietary_software" title="Proprietary software">proprietary software</a> that only acknowledges the authors. For instance, <a href="/wiki/Microsoft_Windows_NT_3.1" class="mw-redirect" title="Microsoft Windows NT 3.1">Microsoft Windows NT 3.1</a> and <a href="/wiki/MacOS" title="MacOS">macOS</a> have proprietary <a href="/wiki/IP_stack" class="mw-redirect" title="IP stack">IP stacks</a> which are derived from BSD-licensed software.<sup id="cite_ref-65" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-65"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>65<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In extreme cases, the sub- or re-licensing possibilities with BSD or other permissive licenses might prevent further use in the open-source ecosystem. For instance, <a href="/wiki/MathWorks" title="MathWorks">MathWorks</a>' FileExchange repository offers the BSD license for user contributions but prevents with additional <a href="/wiki/EULA" class="mw-redirect" title="EULA">terms of use</a> any usage beside their own <a href="/wiki/Proprietary_software" title="Proprietary software">proprietary</a> <a href="/wiki/MATLAB" title="MATLAB">MATLAB</a> software, for instance with the FOSS <a href="/wiki/GNU_Octave" title="GNU Octave">GNU Octave</a> software.<sup id="cite_ref-66" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-66"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>66<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-67" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-67"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>67<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-68" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-68"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>68<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Supporters of the BSD license argue that it is more free than the GPL because it grants the right to do anything with the source code, provided that the attribution is preserved. The approach has led to BSD code being used in widely used proprietary software. Proponents of the GPL point out that once code becomes proprietary, users are denied the freedoms that define free software.<sup id="cite_ref-69" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-69"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>69<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> As a result, they consider the BSD license less free than the GPL, and that freedom is more than a lack of restriction. Since the BSD license restricts the right of developers to have changes recontributed to the community,<sup class="noprint Inline-Template" style="white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Accuracy_dispute#Disputed_statement" title="Wikipedia:Accuracy dispute"><span title="The material near this tag is possibly inaccurate or nonfactual. (November 2015)">dubious</span></a> – <a href="/wiki/Talk:Free-software_license#Dubious" title="Talk:Free-software license">discuss</a></i>]</sup> neither it nor the GPL is "free" in the sense of "lacking any restrictions." </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Debian">Debian</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Free-software_license&action=edit&section=19" title="Edit section: Debian"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The <a href="/wiki/Debian" title="Debian">Debian</a> project uses the criteria laid out in its <a href="/wiki/Debian_Free_Software_Guidelines" class="mw-redirect" title="Debian Free Software Guidelines">Debian Free Software Guidelines</a> (DFSG). The only notable cases where Debian and Free Software Foundation disagree are over the <a href="/wiki/Artistic_License" title="Artistic License">Artistic License</a> and the <a href="/wiki/GNU_Free_Documentation_License" title="GNU Free Documentation License">GNU Free Documentation License</a> (GFDL). Debian accepts the original Artistic License as being a free software license, but FSF disagrees. This has very little impact however since the Artistic License is almost always used in a <a href="/wiki/Dual-license" class="mw-redirect" title="Dual-license">dual-license</a> setup, along with the <a href="/wiki/GNU_General_Public_License" title="GNU General Public License">GNU General Public License</a>. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Controversial_borderline_cases">Controversial borderline cases</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Free-software_license&action=edit&section=20" title="Edit section: Controversial borderline cases"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The vast majority of free software uses undisputed free-software licenses; however, there have been many debates over whether or not certain other licenses qualify for the definition. </p><p>Examples of licenses that provoked debate were the 1.x series of the <a href="/wiki/Apple_Public_Source_License" title="Apple Public Source License">Apple Public Source License</a>, which were accepted by the Open Source Initiative but not by the Free Software Foundation or Debian and the <a href="/wiki/RealNetworks_Public_Source_License" class="mw-redirect" title="RealNetworks Public Source License">RealNetworks Public Source License</a>, which was accepted by Open Source Initiative and Free Software Foundation but not by <a href="/wiki/Debian" title="Debian">Debian</a>. </p><p>Also, the FSF recommended <a href="/wiki/GNU_Free_Documentation_License" title="GNU Free Documentation License">GNU Free Documentation License</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-70" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-70"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>70<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> which is incompatible with the GPL,<sup id="cite_ref-71" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-71"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>71<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> was considered "non-free" by the <a href="/wiki/Debian" title="Debian">Debian</a> project around 2006,<sup id="cite_ref-72" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-72"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>72<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Nathanael Nerode,<sup id="cite_ref-nerode2007_73-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-nerode2007-73"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>73<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and <a href="/wiki/Bruce_Perens" title="Bruce Perens">Bruce Perens</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-Bruceperens2003_74-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Bruceperens2003-74"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>74<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The FSF argues that documentation is qualitatively different from software and is subject to different requirements. Debian accepted, in a later resolution, that the GNU FDL complied with the <a href="/wiki/Debian_Free_Software_Guidelines" class="mw-redirect" title="Debian Free Software Guidelines">Debian Free Software Guidelines</a> when the controversial "<a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/invariant_section" class="extiw" title="wiktionary:invariant section">invariant section</a>" is removed, but considers it "still not free of trouble".<sup id="cite_ref-debianresolution_75-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-debianresolution-75"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>75<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Notwithstanding, most GNU documentation includes "invariant sections". Similarly, the <a href="/wiki/FLOSS_Manuals" title="FLOSS Manuals">FLOSS Manuals</a> foundation, an organization devoted to creating manuals for free software, decided to eschew the GFDL in favor of the GPL for its texts in 2007, citing the incompatibility between the two, difficulties in implementing the GFDL, and the fact that the GFDL "does not allow for easy duplication and modification", especially for digital documentation.<sup id="cite_ref-76" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-76"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>76<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p><a href="/wiki/SLUC" title="SLUC">SLUC</a> is a software license published in Spain in December 2006 to allow all but military use. The writers of the license maintain it is free software, but the Free Software Foundation says it is not free because it infringes the so-called "zero freedom" of the GPL, that is, the freedom to use the software for any purpose.<sup id="cite_ref-77" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-77"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>77<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Market_share">Market share</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Free-software_license&action=edit&section=21" title="Edit section: Market share"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>While historically the most widely used <a href="/wiki/FOSS" class="mw-redirect" title="FOSS">FOSS</a> license has been the GPLv2, in 2015, according to Black Duck Software<sup id="cite_ref-blackduck2015_37-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-blackduck2015-37"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>37<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> the permissive <a href="/wiki/MIT_license" class="mw-redirect" title="MIT license">MIT license</a> dethroned the GPLv2 to the second place while the permissive <a href="/wiki/Apache_License" title="Apache License">Apache License</a> follows at third place. A study from 2012, which used publicly available data, criticized Black Duck Software for not publishing their methodology used in collecting statistics.<sup id="cite_ref-78" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-78"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>78<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Daniel German, professor in the Department of Computer Science at the <a href="/wiki/University_of_Victoria" title="University of Victoria">University of Victoria</a> in Canada, presented a talk in 2013 about the methodological challenges in determining which are the most widely used free-software licenses, and showed how he could not replicate the result from Black Duck Software.<sup id="cite_ref-79" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-79"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>79<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>A <a href="/wiki/GitHub" title="GitHub">GitHub</a> study in 2015 on their statistical data found that the MIT license was the most prominent FOSS license on that platform.<sup id="cite_ref-github2015_38-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-github2015-38"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>38<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>In June 2016 an analysis of the <a href="/wiki/Fedora_Project" title="Fedora Project">Fedora Project</a>'s packages showed as most used licenses the GPL family, followed by MIT, BSD, the LGP family, Artistic (for Perl packages), LPPL (for <a href="/wiki/Texlive" class="mw-redirect" title="Texlive">texlive</a> packages), and ASL. The GNU GPLv2+ was the single most popular license<sup id="cite_ref-anweshadas_39-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-anweshadas-39"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>39<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="See_also">See also</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Free-software_license&action=edit&section=22" title="Edit section: See also"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1266661725">.mw-parser-output .portalbox{padding:0;margin:0.5em 0;display:table;box-sizing:border-box;max-width:175px;list-style:none}.mw-parser-output .portalborder{border:1px solid var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1);padding:0.1em;background:var(--background-color-neutral-subtle,#f8f9fa)}.mw-parser-output .portalbox-entry{display:table-row;font-size:85%;line-height:110%;height:1.9em;font-style:italic;font-weight:bold}.mw-parser-output .portalbox-image{display:table-cell;padding:0.2em;vertical-align:middle;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .portalbox-link{display:table-cell;padding:0.2em 0.2em 0.2em 0.3em;vertical-align:middle}@media(min-width:720px){.mw-parser-output .portalleft{margin:0.5em 1em 0.5em 0}.mw-parser-output .portalright{clear:right;float:right;margin:0.5em 0 0.5em 1em}}</style><ul role="navigation" aria-label="Portals" class="noprint portalbox portalborder portalright"> <li class="portalbox-entry"><span class="portalbox-image"><span class="noviewer" typeof="mw:File"><span><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/31/Free_and_open-source_software_logo_%282009%29.svg/28px-Free_and_open-source_software_logo_%282009%29.svg.png" decoding="async" width="28" height="28" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/31/Free_and_open-source_software_logo_%282009%29.svg/42px-Free_and_open-source_software_logo_%282009%29.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/31/Free_and_open-source_software_logo_%282009%29.svg/56px-Free_and_open-source_software_logo_%282009%29.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="512" data-file-height="512" /></span></span></span><span class="portalbox-link"><a href="/wiki/Portal:Free_and_open-source_software" title="Portal:Free and open-source software">Free and open-source software portal</a></span></li></ul> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Comparison_of_free_and_open-source_software_licenses" title="Comparison of free and open-source software licenses">Comparison of free and open-source software licenses</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Developer_Certificate_of_Origin" title="Developer Certificate of Origin">Developer Certificate of Origin</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/End-user_license_agreement" title="End-user license agreement">End-user license agreement</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/License-free_software" title="License-free software">License-free software</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_free-content_licences" title="List of free-content licences">List of free-content licences</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Public_domain" title="Public domain">Public domain</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Software_license" title="Software license">Software license</a></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Notes">Notes</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Free-software_license&action=edit&section=23" title="Edit section: Notes"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist reflist-columns references-column-width" style="column-width: 30em;"> <ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-1">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}</style><cite id="CITEREFWheeler2015" class="citation web cs1">Wheeler, David A. (2015). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170704001242/https://www.linuxvoice.com/the-fight-for-freedom/">"The fight for freedom"</a>. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.linuxvoice.com/the-fight-for-freedom/">the original</a> on 4 July 2017<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">17 February</span> 2016</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=The+fight+for+freedom&rft.date=2015&rft.aulast=Wheeler&rft.aufirst=David+A.&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linuxvoice.com%2Fthe-fight-for-freedom%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-fsm-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-fsm_2-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFHancock2008" class="citation web cs1">Hancock, Terry (29 August 2008). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160125013542/http://www.freesoftwaremagazine.com/articles/what_if_copyright_didnt_apply_binary_executables">"What if copyright didn't apply to binary executables?"</a>. <a href="/wiki/Free_Software_Magazine" title="Free Software Magazine">Free Software Magazine</a>. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.freesoftwaremagazine.com/articles/what_if_copyright_didnt_apply_binary_executables">the original</a> on 25 January 2016<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">25 January</span> 2016</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=What+if+copyright+didn%27t+apply+to+binary+executables%3F&rft.pub=Free+Software+Magazine&rft.date=2008-08-29&rft.aulast=Hancock&rft.aufirst=Terry&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.freesoftwaremagazine.com%2Farticles%2Fwhat_if_copyright_didnt_apply_binary_executables&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-3">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://digitalcommons.law.ggu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1344&context=ggulrev"><i>Apple Computer, Inc. v. Franklin Computer Corporation</i> Puts the Byte Back into Copyright Protection for Computer Programs</a> in Golden Gate University Law Review Volume 14, Issue 2, Article 3 by Jan L. Nussbaum (January 1984)</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-sail_book-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-sail_book_4-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Lemley, Menell, Merges and Samuelson. <i>Software and Internet Law</i>, p. 34.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-5">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://github.com/larsbrinkhoff/emacs-16.56/blob/master/etc/COPYING">"GNU Emacs Copying Permission Notice (1985)"</a>. <i><a href="/wiki/GitHub" title="GitHub">GitHub</a></i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">8 November</span> 2015</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=GitHub&rft.atitle=GNU+Emacs+Copying+Permission+Notice+%281985%29&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fgithub.com%2Flarsbrinkhoff%2Femacs-16.56%2Fblob%2Fmaster%2Fetc%2FCOPYING&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-6"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-6">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://fsfe.org/activities/gplv3/barcelona-rms-transcript.en.html#copyleft-history">"GPLv3 - Transcript of Richard Stallman from the third international GPLv3 conference, Barcelona; 2006-06-22 - FSFE"</a><span class="reference-accessdate">. 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Tech Insider<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">1 May</span> 2015</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Free+Software+-+GPL+Enforcement&rft.pub=Tech+Insider&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Ftech-insider.org%2Ffree-software%2Fgpl-enforcement.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-9"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-9">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.gnu.org/software/gcc/releases.html">"GCC Releases"</a><span class="reference-accessdate">. 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Retrieved <span class="nowrap">19 March</span> 2015</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Fsfe+-+Free+Software+Foundation+Europe&rft.atitle=GPLv3+-+Transcript+of+Richard+Stallman+from+the+second+international+GPLv3+conference%2C+Porto+Alegre%2C+Brazil%3B+2006-04-21&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Ffsfe.org%2Fprojects%2Fgplv3%2Ffisl-rms-transcript.en.html%23before-gnu-gpl&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-11"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-11">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFMark2008" class="citation web cs1">Mark (8 May 2008). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20151208112000/http://socializedsoftware.com/2008/05/08/the-curse-of-open-source-license-proliferation/">"The Curse of Open Source License Proliferation"</a>. socializedsoftware.com. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://socializedsoftware.com/2008/05/08/the-curse-of-open-source-license-proliferation/">the original</a> on 8 December 2015<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">30 November</span> 2015</span>. <q>GNU General Public License (GPL) 2.0 58.69% GNU Lesser General Public License (LGPL) 2.1 11.39% Artistic License (Perl) 7.46% BSD License 6.50% Apache License 2.0 2.92% MIT License 2.58% GNU General Public License (GPL) 3.0 1.64% Mozilla Public License (MPL) 1.1 1.37% Common Public License 0.83% zlib/lippng License 0.64%</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=The+Curse+of+Open+Source+License+Proliferation&rft.pub=socializedsoftware.com&rft.date=2008-05-08&rft.au=Mark&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fsocializedsoftware.com%2F2008%2F05%2F08%2Fthe-curse-of-open-source-license-proliferation%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-redhat2000-12"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-redhat2000_12-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFDavid_A._Wheeler" class="citation web cs1">David A. Wheeler. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.dwheeler.com/sloc/redhat62-v1/redhat62sloc.html">"Estimating Linux's Size"</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Estimating+Linux%27s+Size&rft.au=David+A.+Wheeler&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dwheeler.com%2Fsloc%2Fredhat62-v1%2Fredhat62sloc.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-13"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-13">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170213162500/https://www.dwheeler.com/frozen/sourceforge-stats-20031110.html">"SourceForge.net: Software Map"</a>. Dwheeler.com. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.dwheeler.com/frozen/sourceforge-stats-20031110.html">the original</a> on 13 February 2017<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">17 November</span> 2008</span>. <q>License -> OSI: […] GNU General Public License (GPL) (32641 projects), GNU Library or Lesser General Public License (LGPL) (4889 projects of 45727, 82.1%)</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=SourceForge.net%3A+Software+Map&rft.pub=Dwheeler.com&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dwheeler.com%2Ffrozen%2Fsourceforge-stats-20031110.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-14"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-14">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFKelty2008" class="citation web cs1">Kelty, Christpher M. (2008). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://twobits.net/pub/Kelty-TwoBits.pdf">"The Cultural Significance of free Software - Two Bits"</a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span>. <a href="/wiki/Duke_University" title="Duke University">Duke University</a> press - durham and london. p. 99. <q>Prior to 1998, Free Software referred either to the Free Software Foundation (and the watchful, micromanaging eye of Stallman) or to one of thousands of different commercial, avocational, or university-research projects, processes, licenses, and ideologies that had a variety of names: sourceware, freeware, shareware, open software, public domain software, and so on. The term Open Source, by contrast, sought to encompass them all in one movement.</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=The+Cultural+Significance+of+free+Software+-+Two+Bits&rft.pages=99&rft.pub=Duke+University+press+-+durham+and+london&rft.date=2008&rft.aulast=Kelty&rft.aufirst=Christpher+M.&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Ftwobits.net%2Fpub%2FKelty-TwoBits.pdf&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-netscapeopensource-15"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-netscapeopensource_15-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20070401072854/http://wp.netscape.com/newsref/pr/newsrelease558.html">"Netscape Announces Plans to Make Next-Generation Communicator Source Code Available Free on the Net"</a>. <a href="/wiki/Netscape_Communications_Corporation" class="mw-redirect" title="Netscape Communications Corporation">Netscape Communications Corporation</a>. 22 January 1998. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://wp.netscape.com/newsref/pr/newsrelease558.html">the original</a> on 1 April 2007<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">8 August</span> 2013</span>. <q>Bold move to harness creative power of thousands of internet developers; company makes Netscape Navigator and Communicator 4.0 immediately free for all users, seeding market for enterprise and netcenter businesses</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Netscape+Announces+Plans+to+Make+Next-Generation+Communicator+Source+Code+Available+Free+on+the+Net&rft.pub=Netscape+Communications+Corporation&rft.date=1998-01-22&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwp.netscape.com%2Fnewsref%2Fpr%2Fnewsrelease558.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-16"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-16">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20140326215538/http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/netscape-celebrates-first-anniversary-of-open-source-software-release-to-mozillaorg-73806207.html">"MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., April 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Netscape Communications and open source developers are celebrating the first anniversary, March 31, 1999, of the release of Netscape's browser source code to mozilla.org"</a>. <a href="/wiki/Netscape_Communications" class="mw-redirect" title="Netscape Communications">Netscape Communications</a>. 31 March 1999. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/netscape-celebrates-first-anniversary-of-open-source-software-release-to-mozillaorg-73806207.html">the original</a> on 26 March 2014<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">10 January</span> 2013</span>. <q>... the organization that manages open source developers working on the next generation of Netscape's browser and communication software. This event marked a historical milestone for the Internet as Netscape became the first major commercial software company to open its source code, a trend that has since been followed by several other corporations. Since the code was first published on the Internet, thousands of individuals and organizations have downloaded it and made hundreds of contributions to the software. Mozilla.org is now celebrating this one-year anniversary with a party Thursday night in San Francisco.</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=MOUNTAIN+VIEW%2C+Calif.%2C+April+1+%2FPRNewswire%2F+--+Netscape+Communications+and+open+source+developers+are+celebrating+the+first+anniversary%2C+March+31%2C+1999%2C+of+the+release+of+Netscape%27s+browser+source+code+to+mozilla.org&rft.pub=Netscape+Communications&rft.date=1999-03-31&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.prnewswire.com%2Fnews-releases%2Fnetscape-celebrates-first-anniversary-of-open-source-software-release-to-mozillaorg-73806207.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-17"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-17">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFKelty2008" class="citation web cs1">Kelty, Christpher M. (2008). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://twobits.net/pub/Kelty-TwoBits.pdf">"The Cultural Significance of free Software - Two Bits"</a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span>. <a href="/wiki/Duke_University" title="Duke University">Duke University</a> press - durham and london. p. 100. <q>The term Open Source, by contrast, sought to encompass them all in one movement. The event that precipitated this attempted semantic coup d'état was the release of the source code for Netscape's Communicator Web browser. It's tough to overestimate the importance of Netscape to the fortunes of Free Software. […] But Netscape is far more famous among geeks for giving away something else, in 1998: the source code to Netscape Communicator (née Navigator).</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=The+Cultural+Significance+of+free+Software+-+Two+Bits&rft.pages=100&rft.pub=Duke+University+press+-+durham+and+london&rft.date=2008&rft.aulast=Kelty&rft.aufirst=Christpher+M.&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Ftwobits.net%2Fpub%2FKelty-TwoBits.pdf&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-18"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-18">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.opensource.org/proliferation-report">"Report of License Proliferation Committee and draft FAQ"</a>. <a href="/wiki/Open_Source_Initiative" title="Open Source Initiative">Open Source Initiative</a>. 12 December 2007.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Report+of+License+Proliferation+Committee+and+draft+FAQ&rft.pub=Open+Source+Initiative&rft.date=2007-12-12&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.opensource.org%2Fproliferation-report&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-19"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-19">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20040725150736471">"Groklaw - The German GPL Order - Translated"</a><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">19 March</span> 2015</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Groklaw+-+The+German+GPL+Order+-+Translated&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.groklaw.net%2Farticle.php%3Fstory%3D20040725150736471&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-20"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-20">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">See <i>Progress Software Corporation v. MySQL AB</i>, 195 F. Supp. 2d 328 (D. Mass. 2002), on defendant's motion for preliminary injunction.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-21"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-21">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFLawrence_Rosen2004" class="citation web cs1"><a href="/wiki/Lawrence_Rosen_(attorney)" title="Lawrence Rosen (attorney)">Lawrence Rosen</a> (25 May 2004). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.rosenlaw.com/lj16.htm">"Why the public domain isn't a license"</a>. rosenlaw.com<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">22 February</span> 2016</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Why+the+public+domain+isn%27t+a+license&rft.pub=rosenlaw.com&rft.date=2004-05-25&rft.au=Lawrence+Rosen&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rosenlaw.com%2Flj16.htm&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-22"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-22">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFBernstein2004" class="citation web cs1"><a href="/wiki/Daniel_J._Bernstein" title="Daniel J. Bernstein">Bernstein, Daniel J.</a> (2004). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://cr.yp.to/publicdomain.html">"Placing documents into the public domain"</a>. <q>Most rights can be voluntarily abandoned ("waived") by the owner of the rights. Legislators can go to extra effort to create rights that can't be abandoned, but usually they don't do this. In particular, you can voluntarily abandon your United States copyrights: "It is well settled that rights gained under the Copyright Act may be abandoned. But abandonment of a right must be manifested by some overt act indicating an intention to abandon that right. See Hampton v. Paramount Pictures Corp., 279 F.2d 100, 104 (9th Cir. 1960)."<span class="cs1-kern-right"></span></q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Placing+documents+into+the+public+domain&rft.date=2004&rft.aulast=Bernstein&rft.aufirst=Daniel+J.&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fcr.yp.to%2Fpublicdomain.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-23"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-23">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFLawrence_Rosen2012" class="citation web cs1"><a href="/wiki/Lawrence_Rosen_(attorney)" title="Lawrence Rosen (attorney)">Lawrence Rosen</a> (8 March 2012). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160312093735/https://lists.opensource.org/pipermail/license-review/2012-March/001679.html">"(License-review) (License-discuss) CC0 incompliant with OSD on patents, (was: MXM compared to CC0)"</a>. opensource.org. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://lists.opensource.org/pipermail/license-review/2012-March/001679.html">the original</a> on 12 March 2016<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">22 February</span> 2016</span>. <q>The case you referenced in your email, Hampton v. Paramount Pictures, 279 F.2d 100 (9th Cir. Cal. 1960), stands for the proposition that, at least in the Ninth Circuit, a person can indeed abandon his copyrights (counter to what I wrote in my article) -- but it takes the equivalent of a manifest license to do so. :-) ... For the record, I have already voted +1 to approve the CC0 public domain dedication and fallback license as OSD compliant. I admit that I have argued for years against the "public domain" as an open source license, but in retrospect, considering the minimal risk to developers and users relying on such software and the evident popularity of that "license", I changed my mind. One can't stand in the way of a fire hose of free public domain software, even if it doesn't come with a better FOSS license that I trust more.</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=%28License-review%29+%28License-discuss%29+CC0+incompliant+with+OSD+on+patents%2C+%28was%3A+MXM+compared+to+CC0%29&rft.pub=opensource.org&rft.date=2012-03-08&rft.au=Lawrence+Rosen&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Flists.opensource.org%2Fpipermail%2Flicense-review%2F2012-March%2F001679.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-24"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-24">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFMark2008" class="citation web cs1">Mark (8 May 2008). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20151208112000/http://socializedsoftware.com/2008/05/08/the-curse-of-open-source-license-proliferation/">"The Curse of Open Source License Proliferation"</a>. socializedsoftware.com. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://socializedsoftware.com/2008/05/08/the-curse-of-open-source-license-proliferation/">the original</a> on 8 December 2015<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">30 November</span> 2015</span>. <q>Currently the decision to move from GPL v2 to GPL v3 is being hotly debated by many open source projects. According to Palamida, a provider of IP compliance software, there have been roughly 2489 open source projects that have moved from GPLv2 to later versions.</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=The+Curse+of+Open+Source+License+Proliferation&rft.pub=socializedsoftware.com&rft.date=2008-05-08&rft.au=Mark&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fsocializedsoftware.com%2F2008%2F05%2F08%2Fthe-curse-of-open-source-license-proliferation%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-gpl2gpl3comp-25"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-gpl2gpl3comp_25-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-gpl2gpl3comp_25-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html#v2v3Compatibility">"Frequently Asked Questions about the GNU Licenses – Is GPLv3 compatible with GPLv2?"</a>. gnu.org<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">3 June</span> 2014</span>. <q>No. Some of the requirements in GPLv3, such as the requirement to provide Installation Information, do not exist in GPLv2. As a result, the licenses are not compatible: if you tried to combine code released under both these licenses, you would violate section 6 of GPLv2. However, if code is released under GPL 'version<span class="nowrap"> </span>2 or later,' that is compatible with GPLv3 because GPLv3 is one of the options it permits.</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Frequently+Asked+Questions+about+the+GNU+Licenses+%E2%80%93+Is+GPLv3+compatible+with+GPLv2%3F&rft.pub=gnu.org&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gnu.org%2Flicenses%2Fgpl-faq.html%23v2v3Compatibility&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-torvaldsgpl-26"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-torvaldsgpl_26-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFKerner2008" class="citation web cs1">Kerner, Sean Michael (8 January 2008). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.internetnews.com/dev-news/article.php/3720371/Torvalds+Still+Keen+On+GPLv2.htm">"Torvalds Still Keen On GPLv2"</a>. internetnews.com<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">12 February</span> 2015</span>. <q>In some ways, Linux was the project that really made the split clear between what the FSF is pushing which is very different from what open source and Linux has always been about, which is more of a technical superiority instead of a -- this religious belief in freedom," Torvalds told Zemlin. So, the GPL Version<span class="nowrap"> </span>3 reflects the FSF's goals and the GPL Version<span class="nowrap"> </span>2 pretty closely matches what I think a license should do and so right now, Version<span class="nowrap"> </span>2 is where the kernel is.</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Torvalds+Still+Keen+On+GPLv2&rft.pub=internetnews.com&rft.date=2008-01-08&rft.aulast=Kerner&rft.aufirst=Sean+Michael&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.internetnews.com%2Fdev-news%2Farticle.php%2F3720371%2FTorvalds%2BStill%2BKeen%2BOn%2BGPLv2.htm&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-byfield2011-27"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-byfield2011_27-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-byfield2011_27-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFByfield2011" class="citation web cs1">Byfield, Bruce (22 November 2011). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.datamation.com/open-source/7-reasons-why-free-software-is-losing-influence_2.html">"7 Reasons Why Free Software Is Losing Influence: Page 2"</a>. <a href="/wiki/Datamation" title="Datamation">Datamation</a>.com<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">23 August</span> 2013</span>. <q>At the time, the decision seemed sensible in the face of a deadlock. But now, GPLv2 is used for 42.5% of free software, and GPLv3 for less than 6.5%, according to Black Duck Software.</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=7+Reasons+Why+Free+Software+Is+Losing+Influence%3A+Page+2&rft.pub=Datamation.com&rft.date=2011-11-22&rft.aulast=Byfield&rft.aufirst=Bruce&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.datamation.com%2Fopen-source%2F7-reasons-why-free-software-is-losing-influence_2.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-28"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-28">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20070206060251/http://www.businessreviewonline.com/os/archives/2007/01/mysql_changes_l.html">"MySQL changes license to avoid GPLv3"</a>. <i>Computer business review online</i>. 4 January 2007. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.businessreviewonline.com/os/archives/2007/01/mysql_changes_l.html">the original</a> on 6 February 2007<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">21 November</span> 2016</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Computer+business+review+online&rft.atitle=MySQL+changes+license+to+avoid+GPLv3&rft.date=2007-01-04&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.businessreviewonline.com%2Fos%2Farchives%2F2007%2F01%2Fmysql_changes_l.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-29"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-29">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFcorbet2006" class="citation web cs1">corbet (1 October 2006). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://lwn.net/Articles/202106/">"Busy busy busybox"</a>. lwn.net<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">21 November</span> 2015</span>. <q>Since BusyBox can be found in so many embedded systems, it finds itself at the core of the GPLv3 anti-DRM debate. […] The real outcomes, however, are this: BusyBox will be GPLv2 only starting with the next release. It is generally accepted that stripping out the "or any later version" is legally defensible, and that the merging of other GPLv2-only code will force that issue in any case.</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Busy+busy+busybox&rft.pub=lwn.net&rft.date=2006-10-01&rft.au=corbet&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Flwn.net%2FArticles%2F202106%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-30"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-30">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFLandley2006" class="citation web cs1">Landley, Rob (9 September 2006). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://lwn.net/Articles/202110/">"Re: Move GPLv2 vs v3 fun..."</a> lwn.net<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">21 November</span> 2015</span>. <q>Don't invent a straw man argument please. I consider licensing BusyBox under GPLv3 to be useless, unnecessary, overcomplicated, and confusing, and in addition to that it has actual downsides. 1) Useless: We're never dropping GPLv2.</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Re%3A+Move+GPLv2+vs+v3+fun...&rft.pub=lwn.net&rft.date=2006-09-09&rft.aulast=Landley&rft.aufirst=Rob&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Flwn.net%2FArticles%2F202110%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-libredwg-gplv3-opinion-31"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-libredwg-gplv3-opinion_31-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFProkoudine2012" class="citation web cs1">Prokoudine, Alexandre (26 January 2012). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20161109103037/http://libregraphicsworld.org/blog/entry/whats-up-with-dwg-adoption-in-free-software">"What's up with DWG adoption in free software?"</a>. libregraphicsworld.org. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://libregraphicsworld.org/blog/entry/whats-up-with-dwg-adoption-in-free-software">the original</a> on 9 November 2016<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">5 December</span> 2015</span>. <q>Blender is also still 'GPLv2 or later'. For the time being we stick to that, moving to GPL 3 has no evident benefits I know of.</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=What%27s+up+with+DWG+adoption+in+free+software%3F&rft.pub=libregraphicsworld.org&rft.date=2012-01-26&rft.aulast=Prokoudine&rft.aufirst=Alexandre&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Flibregraphicsworld.org%2Fblog%2Fentry%2Fwhats-up-with-dwg-adoption-in-free-software&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-vlcgplv2-32"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-vlcgplv2_32-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFDenis-Courmont" class="citation web cs1">Denis-Courmont, Rémi. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.videolan.org/press/2007-1.html">"VLC media player to remain under GNU GPL version<span class="nowrap"> </span>2"</a>. videolan.org<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">21 November</span> 2015</span>. <q>In 2001, VLC was released under the OSI-approved GNU General Public version<span class="nowrap"> </span>2, with the commonly-offered option to use 'any later version' thereof (though there was not any such later version at the time). Following the release by the Free Software Foundation (FSF) of the new version<span class="nowrap"> </span>3 of its GNU General Public License (GPL) on the 29th of June 2007, contributors to the VLC media player, and other software projects hosted at videolan.org, debated the possibility of updating the licensing terms for future version of the VLC media player and other hosted projects, to version<span class="nowrap"> </span>3 of the GPL. ... There is strong concern that these new additional requirements might not match the industrial and economic reality of our time, especially in the market of consumer electronics. It is our belief that changing our licensing terms to GPL version<span class="nowrap"> </span>3 would currently not be in the best interest of our community as a whole. Consequently, we plan to keep distributing future versions of VLC media player under the terms of the GPL version<span class="nowrap"> </span>2.</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=VLC+media+player+to+remain+under+GNU+GPL+version%3Cspan+class%3D%22nowrap%22%3E+%3C%2Fspan%3E2&rft.pub=videolan.org&rft.aulast=Denis-Courmont&rft.aufirst=R%C3%A9mi&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.videolan.org%2Fpress%2F2007-1.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-mattasay2011-33"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-mattasay2011_33-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFAsay2009" class="citation web cs1">Asay, Matt (23 July 2009). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20131029190819/http://news.cnet.com/8301-13505_3-10294452-16.html">"GPLv3 hits 50 percent adoption | The Open Road - CNET News"</a>. News.cnet.com. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-13505_3-10294452-16.html">the original</a> on 29 October 2013<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2 September</span> 2013</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=GPLv3+hits+50+percent+adoption+%26%23124%3B+The+Open+Road+-+CNET+News&rft.pub=News.cnet.com&rft.date=2009-07-23&rft.aulast=Asay&rft.aufirst=Matt&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.cnet.com%2F8301-13505_3-10294452-16.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-34"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-34">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFProffitt2011" class="citation web cs1">Proffitt, Brian (16 December 2011). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170904082743/https://www.itworld.com/article/2832379/it-management/gpl--copyleft-use-declining-faster-than-ever.html">"GPL, copyleft use declining faster than ever"</a>. <i>ITworld</i>. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.itworld.com/article/2832379/it-management/gpl--copyleft-use-declining-faster-than-ever.html">the original</a> on 4 September 2017<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">17 February</span> 2016</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=ITworld&rft.atitle=GPL%2C+copyleft+use+declining+faster+than+ever&rft.date=2011-12-16&rft.aulast=Proffitt&rft.aufirst=Brian&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.itworld.com%2Farticle%2F2832379%2Fit-management%2Fgpl--copyleft-use-declining-faster-than-ever.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-35"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-35">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFProffitt2011" class="citation web cs1">Proffitt, Brian (16 December 2011). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20131203213915/http://www.itworld.com/it-managementstrategy/233753/gpl-copyleft-use-declining-faster-ever">"GPL, copyleft use declining faster than ever - Data suggests a sharper rate of decline, which raises the question: why?"</a>. IT world. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.itworld.com/it-managementstrategy/233753/gpl-copyleft-use-declining-faster-ever">the original</a> on 3 December 2013<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">23 August</span> 2013</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=GPL%2C+copyleft+use+declining+faster+than+ever+-+Data+suggests+a+sharper+rate+of+decline%2C+which+raises+the+question%3A+why%3F&rft.pub=IT+world&rft.date=2011-12-16&rft.aulast=Proffitt&rft.aufirst=Brian&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.itworld.com%2Fit-managementstrategy%2F233753%2Fgpl-copyleft-use-declining-faster-ever&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-36"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-36">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFAslett2011" class="citation web cs1">Aslett, Matthew (15 December 2011). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20161209212934/https://blogs.the451group.com/opensource/2011/12/15/on-the-continuing-decline-of-the-gpl/">"On the continuing decline of the GPL"</a>. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://blogs.the451group.com/opensource/2011/12/15/on-the-continuing-decline-of-the-gpl/">the original</a> on 9 December 2016<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">17 February</span> 2016</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=On+the+continuing+decline+of+the+GPL&rft.date=2011-12-15&rft.aulast=Aslett&rft.aufirst=Matthew&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fblogs.the451group.com%2Fopensource%2F2011%2F12%2F15%2Fon-the-continuing-decline-of-the-gpl%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-blackduck2015-37"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-blackduck2015_37-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-blackduck2015_37-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160719043600/http://www.blackducksoftware.com/resources/data/top-20-licenses">"Top 20 licenses"</a>. Black Duck Software. 19 November 2015. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.blackducksoftware.com/resources/data/top-20-licenses">the original</a> on 19 July 2016<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">19 November</span> 2015</span>. <q>1. MIT license 24%, 2. GNU General Public License (GPL) 2.0 23%, 3. Apache License 16%, 4. GNU General Public License (GPL) 3.0 9%, 5. BSD License 2.0 (3-clause, New or Revised) License 6%, 6. GNU Lesser General Public License (LGPL) 2.1 5%, 7. Artistic License (Perl) 4%, 8. GNU Lesser General Public License (LGPL) 3.0 2%, 9. Microsoft Public License 2%, 10. Eclipse Public License (EPL) 2%</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Top+20+licenses&rft.pub=Black+Duck+Software&rft.date=2015-11-19&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.blackducksoftware.com%2Fresources%2Fdata%2Ftop-20-licenses&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-github2015-38"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-github2015_38-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-github2015_38-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFBalter2015" class="citation web cs1">Balter, Ben (9 March 2015). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://github.com/blog/1964-license-usage-on-github-com">"Open source license usage on GitHub.com"</a>. <a href="/wiki/Github.com" class="mw-redirect" title="Github.com">github.com</a><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">21 November</span> 2015</span>. <q>1 MIT 44.69%, 2 Other 15.68%, 3 GPLv2 12.96%, 4 Apache 11.19%, 5 GPLv3 8.88%, 6 BSD 3-clause 4.53%, 7 Unlicense 1.87%, 8 BSD 2-clause 1.70%, 9 LGPLv3 1.30%, 10 AGPLv3 1.05%</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Open+source+license+usage+on+GitHub.com&rft.pub=github.com&rft.date=2015-03-09&rft.aulast=Balter&rft.aufirst=Ben&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fgithub.com%2Fblog%2F1964-license-usage-on-github-com&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-anweshadas-39"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-anweshadas_39-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-anweshadas_39-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFAnwesha_Das2016" class="citation web cs1">Anwesha Das (22 June 2016). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://anweshadas.in/software-licenses-in-fedora-ecosystem/">"Software Licenses in Fedora Ecosystem"</a>. anweshadas.in<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">27 June</span> 2016</span>. <q>From the above chart it is clear that the GPL family is the highest used (I had miscalculated it as MIT before).The other major licenses are MIT, BSD, the LGPL family, Artistic (for Perl packages), LPPL (foe texlive packages), ASL.</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Software+Licenses+in+Fedora+Ecosystem&rft.pub=anweshadas.in&rft.date=2016-06-22&rft.au=Anwesha+Das&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fanweshadas.in%2Fsoftware-licenses-in-fedora-ecosystem%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-40"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-40">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.gnu.org/licenses/license-list.html">"Various Licenses and Comments about Them - GNU Project - Free Software Foundation"</a><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">19 March</span> 2015</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Various+Licenses+and+Comments+about+Them+-+GNU+Project+-+Free+Software+Foundation&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gnu.org%2Flicenses%2Flicense-list.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-41"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-41">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en/articles/bsdl-gpl/article.html#LICENSE-CANNOT">"Why you should use a BSD style license for your Open Source Project"</a><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">19 March</span> 2015</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Why+you+should+use+a+BSD+style+license+for+your+Open+Source+Project&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.freebsd.org%2Fdoc%2Fen%2Farticles%2Fbsdl-gpl%2Farticle.html%23LICENSE-CANNOT&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-42"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-42">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en/articles/bsdl-gpl/article.html#GPL-ADVANTAGES">"Why you should use a BSD style license for your Open Source Project"</a><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">19 March</span> 2015</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Why+you+should+use+a+BSD+style+license+for+your+Open+Source+Project&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.freebsd.org%2Fdoc%2Fen%2Farticles%2Fbsdl-gpl%2Farticle.html%23GPL-ADVANTAGES&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-43"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-43">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://fsfeurope.org/projects/gplv3/tokyo-rms-transcript.en.html#v1v2">"GPLv3 - Transcript of Richard Stallman from the fifth international GPLv3 conference, Tokyo, Japan; 2006-11-21"</a><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">19 March</span> 2015</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=GPLv3+-+Transcript+of+Richard+Stallman+from+the+fifth+international+GPLv3+conference%2C+Tokyo%2C+Japan%3B+2006-11-21&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Ffsfeurope.org%2Fprojects%2Fgplv3%2Ftokyo-rms-transcript.en.html%23v1v2&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-44"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-44">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://fsfe.org/projects/gplv3/tokyo-rms-transcript#tivoisation">"Richard Stallman discusses changes in GPLv3"</a>. <q>a new method of trying to deprive the users of freedom. In broad terms we refer to this as tivoization.</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Richard+Stallman+discusses+changes+in+GPLv3&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Ffsfe.org%2Fprojects%2Fgplv3%2Ftokyo-rms-transcript%23tivoisation&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-45"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-45">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFWheeler2007" class="citation web cs1">Wheeler, David A. (27 September 2007). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20110309184344/http://www.dwheeler.com/essays/floss-license-slide.html">"The Free-Libre / Open Source Software (FLOSS) License Slide"</a>. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.dwheeler.com/essays/floss-license-slide.html">the original</a> on 9 March 2011<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">28 November</span> 2015</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=The+Free-Libre+%2F+Open+Source+Software+%28FLOSS%29+License+Slide&rft.date=2007-09-27&rft.aulast=Wheeler&rft.aufirst=David+A.&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dwheeler.com%2Fessays%2Ffloss-license-slide.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-46"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-46">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.today/20130502223703/http://web.archive.org/web/20070115145800/http://www.linuxdevices.com/articles/AT7188273245.html">"How GPLv3 tackles license proliferation"</a>. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.linuxdevices.com/articles/AT7188273245.html">the original</a> on 2 May 2013.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=How+GPLv3+tackles+license+proliferation&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.linuxdevices.com%2Farticles%2FAT7188273245.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-47"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-47">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFLAURENT2008" class="citation web cs1">LAURENT, Philippe (24 September 2008). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160304082732/http://www.eolevent.eu/sites/default/files/EOLE%202008%20%E2%80%94%20Philippe%20Laurent%20%E2%80%94%20The%20GPLv3%20and%20Compatibility%20Issues.pdf">"The GPLv3 and compatibility issues"</a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span>. <i>European Open source Lawyers Event 2008</i>. <a href="/wiki/University_of_Namur" class="mw-redirect" title="University of Namur">University of Namur</a> – Belgium. p. 7. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.eolevent.eu/sites/default/files/EOLE%202008%20%E2%80%94%20Philippe%20Laurent%20%E2%80%94%20The%20GPLv3%20and%20Compatibility%20Issues.pdf">the original</a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span> on 4 March 2016<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">30 May</span> 2015</span>. <q>Copyleft is the main source of compatibility problems.</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=European+Open+source+Lawyers+Event+2008&rft.atitle=The+GPLv3+and+compatibility+issues&rft.pages=7&rft.date=2008-09-24&rft.aulast=LAURENT&rft.aufirst=Philippe&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eolevent.eu%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2FEOLE%25202008%2520%25E2%2580%2594%2520Philippe%2520Laurent%2520%25E2%2580%2594%2520The%2520GPLv3%2520and%2520Compatibility%2520Issues.pdf&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-48"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-48">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFApache_foundation2015" class="citation web cs1"><a href="/wiki/Apache_foundation" class="mw-redirect" title="Apache foundation">Apache foundation</a> (30 May 2015). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.apache.org/licenses/GPL-compatibility.html">"GPL compatibility"</a><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">30 May</span> 2015</span>. <q>Apache 2 software can therefore be included in GPLv3 projects, because the GPLv3 license accepts our software into GPLv3 works. However, GPLv3 software cannot be included in Apache projects. The licenses are incompatible in one direction only, and it is a result of ASF's licensing philosophy and the GPLv3 authors' interpretation of copyright law.</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=GPL+compatibility&rft.date=2015-05-30&rft.au=Apache+foundation&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.apache.org%2Flicenses%2FGPL-compatibility.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-whatlicense-49"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-whatlicense_49-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFHanwell2014" class="citation web cs1">Hanwell, Marcus D. (28 January 2014). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://opensource.com/business/14/1/what-license-should-i-use-open-source-project">"Should I use a permissive license? Copyleft? Or something in the middle?"</a>. opensource.com<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">30 May</span> 2015</span>. <q>Permissive licensing simplifies things One reason the business world, and more and more developers […], favor permissive licenses is in the simplicity of reuse. The license usually only pertains to the source code that is licensed and makes no attempt to infer any conditions upon any other component, and because of this there is no need to define what constitutes a derived work. I have also never seen a license compatibility chart for permissive licenses; it seems that they are all compatible.</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Should+I+use+a+permissive+license%3F+Copyleft%3F+Or+something+in+the+middle%3F&rft.pub=opensource.com&rft.date=2014-01-28&rft.aulast=Hanwell&rft.aufirst=Marcus+D.&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fopensource.com%2Fbusiness%2F14%2F1%2Fwhat-license-should-i-use-open-source-project&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-joinup-50"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-joinup_50-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150617130550/https://joinup.ec.europa.eu/software/page/licence_compatibility_and_interoperability">"Licence Compatibility and Interoperability"</a>. <i>Open-Source Software - Develop, share, and reuse open source software for public administrations</i>. joinup.ec.europa.eu. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://joinup.ec.europa.eu/software/page/licence_compatibility_and_interoperability">the original</a> on 17 June 2015<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">30 May</span> 2015</span>. <q>The licences for distributing free or open source software (FOSS) are divided in two families: permissive and copyleft. Permissive licences (BSD, MIT, X11, Apache, Zope) are generally compatible and interoperable with most other licences, tolerating to merge, combine or improve the covered code and to re-distribute it under many licences (including non-free or 'proprietary').</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Open-Source+Software+-+Develop%2C+share%2C+and+reuse+open+source+software+for+public+administrations&rft.atitle=Licence+Compatibility+and+Interoperability&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fjoinup.ec.europa.eu%2Fsoftware%2Fpage%2Flicence_compatibility_and_interoperability&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-landley2013-51"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-landley2013_51-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFLandley" class="citation web cs1">Landley, Rob. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://landley.net/talks/celf-2013.txt">"CELF 2013 Toybox talk"</a>. landley.net<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">21 August</span> 2013</span>. <q>GPLv3 broke "the" GPL into incompatible forks that can't share code.</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=CELF+2013+Toybox+talk&rft.pub=landley.net&rft.aulast=Landley&rft.aufirst=Rob&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Flandley.net%2Ftalks%2Fcelf-2013.txt&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-52"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-52">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.gnu.org/licenses/hessla.html">"The HESSLA's Problems - GNU Project - Free Software Foundation"</a><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">19 March</span> 2015</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=The+HESSLA%27s+Problems+-+GNU+Project+-+Free+Software+Foundation&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gnu.org%2Flicenses%2Fhessla.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-53"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-53">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://fsfeurope.org/projects/gplv3/barcelona-rms-transcript#q11-banning-bad-use">"GPLv3 - Transcript of Richard Stallman from the third international GPLv3 conference, Barcelona; 2006-06-22"</a><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">19 March</span> 2015</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=GPLv3+-+Transcript+of+Richard+Stallman+from+the+third+international+GPLv3+conference%2C+Barcelona%3B+2006-06-22&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Ffsfeurope.org%2Fprojects%2Fgplv3%2Fbarcelona-rms-transcript%23q11-banning-bad-use&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-54"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-54">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.fsf.org/blogs/licensing/20050211.html">"Censorship envy and licensing — Free Software Foundation — Working together for free software"</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Censorship+envy+and+licensing+%E2%80%94+Free+Software+Foundation+%E2%80%94+Working+together+for+free+software&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fsf.org%2Fblogs%2Flicensing%2F20050211.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-55"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-55">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://sqlite.org/different.html#license">"Distinctive Features of SQLite"</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Distinctive+Features+of+SQLite&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fsqlite.org%2Fdifferent.html%23license&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-56"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-56">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://wiseearthtechnology.com/blog/peaceful-open-source-license">"A Peaceful Open Source License | Wise Earth Technology"</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=A+Peaceful+Open+Source+License+%26%23124%3B+Wise+Earth+Technology&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwiseearthtechnology.com%2Fblog%2Fpeaceful-open-source-license&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-57"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-57">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://mindprod.com/contact/nonmil.html">"Non-military Use Only"</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Non-military+Use+Only&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fmindprod.com%2Fcontact%2Fnonmil.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-58"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-58">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://github.com/lerna/lerna/pull/1616">"❌(REVERTED): Add text to MIT License banning ICE collaborators by jamiebuilds · Pull Request #1616 · lerna/Lerna"</a>. <i><a href="/wiki/GitHub" title="GitHub">GitHub</a></i>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=GitHub&rft.atitle=%E2%9D%8C%28REVERTED%29%3A+Add+text+to+MIT+License+banning+ICE+collaborators+by+jamiebuilds+%C2%B7+Pull+Request+%231616+%C2%B7+lerna%2FLerna&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fgithub.com%2Flerna%2Flerna%2Fpull%2F1616&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-59"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-59">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://apebox.org/wordpress/rants/456">"Evil, or why Douglas Crockford is harmful to Free Software"</a>. 8 November 2012.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Evil%2C+or+why+Douglas+Crockford+is+harmful+to+Free+Software&rft.date=2012-11-08&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fapebox.org%2Fwordpress%2Frants%2F456&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-60"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-60">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://wonko.com/post/jsmin-isnt-welcome-on-google-code/">"JSMin isn't welcome on Google Code - wonko.com"</a>. <i>wonko.com</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">1 June</span> 2024</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=wonko.com&rft.atitle=JSMin+isn%27t+welcome+on+Google+Code+-+wonko.com&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwonko.com%2Fpost%2Fjsmin-isnt-welcome-on-google-code%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-61"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-61">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.linux.com/news/open-source-project-adds-no-military-use-clause-gpl/">"Open source project adds "no military use" clause to the GPL"</a>. 14 August 2006.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Open+source+project+adds+%22no+military+use%22+clause+to+the+GPL&rft.date=2006-08-14&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linux.com%2Fnews%2Fopen-source-project-adds-no-military-use-clause-gpl%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-62"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-62">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://commonsclause.com/">"Home"</a>. <i>commonsclause.com</i>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=commonsclause.com&rft.atitle=Home&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fcommonsclause.com%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-63"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-63">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://opensource.org/node/1099">"The SSPL is Not an Open Source License | Open Source Initiative"</a>. 19 January 2021.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=The+SSPL+is+Not+an+Open+Source+License+%26%23124%3B+Open+Source+Initiative&rft.date=2021-01-19&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fopensource.org%2Fnode%2F1099&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-64"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-64">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.openbsd.org/policy.html">"OpenBSD Copyright Policy"</a>. <q>the restriction that source code must be distributed or made available for all works that are derivatives […] As a consequence, software bound by the GPL terms cannot be included in the kernel or "runtime" of OpenBSD</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=OpenBSD+Copyright+Policy&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.openbsd.org%2Fpolicy.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-65"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-65">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1 cs1-prop-foreign-lang-source"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.heise.de/open/artikel/FreeBSD-der-unbekannte-Riese-935746.html">"FreeBSD der unbekannte Riese"</a> (in German). 30 August 2023.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=FreeBSD+der+unbekannte+Riese&rft.date=2023-08-30&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.heise.de%2Fopen%2Fartikel%2FFreeBSD-der-unbekannte-Riese-935746.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-66"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-66">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://nl.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/termsofuse.html#content">"terms of use"</a>. <q>Content that you submit must not directly compete with products offered by MathWorks. Content submitted to File Exchange may only be used with MathWorks products.</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=terms+of+use&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fnl.mathworks.com%2Fmatlabcentral%2Ftermsofuse.html%23content&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-67"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-67">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://nl.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/FX_transition_faq.html">"File Exchange Licensing Transition FAQ"</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=File+Exchange+Licensing+Transition+FAQ&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fnl.mathworks.com%2Fmatlabcentral%2FFX_transition_faq.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-68"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-68">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://wiki.octave.org/FAQ#Why_can.27t_I_use_code_from_File_Exchange_in_Octave.3F_It.27s_released_under_a_BSD_license.21">"Why can't I use code from File Exchange in Octave? It's released under a BSD license!"</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Why+can%27t+I+use+code+from+File+Exchange+in+Octave%3F+It%27s+released+under+a+BSD+license%21&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwiki.octave.org%2FFAQ%23Why_can.27t_I_use_code_from_File_Exchange_in_Octave.3F_It.27s_released_under_a_BSD_license.21&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-69"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-69">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/freedom-or-power.html">"Freedom or Power? by Bradley Kuhn and Richard Stallman"</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Freedom+or+Power%3F+by+Bradley+Kuhn+and+Richard+Stallman&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gnu.org%2Fphilosophy%2Ffreedom-or-power.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-70"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-70">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html#WhyNotGPLForManuals">"Frequently Asked Questions about the GNU Licenses: Why don't you use the GPL for manuals?"</a><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">20 June</span> 2009</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Frequently+Asked+Questions+about+the+GNU+Licenses%3A+Why+don%27t+you+use+the+GPL+for+manuals%3F&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gnu.org%2Flicenses%2Fgpl-faq.html%23WhyNotGPLForManuals&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-71"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-71">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFBraakman" class="citation mailinglist cs1">Braakman, Richard. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal/2003/04/msg00258.html">"Re: Proposed statement wrt GNU FDL"</a>. <i>Debian-legal</i> (Mailing list).</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Re%3A+Proposed+statement+wrt+GNU+FDL&rft.aulast=Braakman&rft.aufirst=Richard&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Flists.debian.org%2Fdebian-legal%2F2003%2F04%2Fmsg00258.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-72"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-72">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFSrivastava2006" class="citation web cs1">Srivastava, Manoj (2006). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://people.debian.org/~srivasta/Position_Statement.xhtml">"Draft Debian Position Statement about the GNU Free Documentation License (nerGFDL)"</a><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">25 September</span> 2007</span>. <q>It is not possible to borrow text from a GFDL'd manual and incorporate it in any free software program whatsoever. This is not a mere license incompatibility. It's not just that the GFDL is incompatible with this or that free software license: it's that it is fundamentally incompatible with any free software license whatsoever. So if you write a new program, and you have no commitments at all about what license you want to use, saving only that it be a free license, you cannot include GFDL'd text. The GNU FDL, as it stands today, does not meet the Debian Free Software Guidelines. There are significant problems with the license, as detailed above; and, as such, we cannot accept works licensed under the GNU FDL into our distribution.</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Draft+Debian+Position+Statement+about+the+GNU+Free+Documentation+License+%28nerGFDL%29&rft.date=2006&rft.aulast=Srivastava&rft.aufirst=Manoj&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fpeople.debian.org%2F~srivasta%2FPosition_Statement.xhtml&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-nerode2007-73"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-nerode2007_73-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFNerode2003" class="citation web cs1">Nerode, Nathanael (24 September 2003). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20031009105046/http://home.twcny.rr.com/nerode/neroden/fdl.html">"Why You Shouldn't Use the GNU FDL"</a>. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://home.twcny.rr.com/nerode/neroden/fdl.html">the original</a> on 9 October 2003<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">7 November</span> 2011</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Why+You+Shouldn%27t+Use+the+GNU+FDL&rft.date=2003-09-24&rft.aulast=Nerode&rft.aufirst=Nathanael&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fhome.twcny.rr.com%2Fnerode%2Fneroden%2Ffdl.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Bruceperens2003-74"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-Bruceperens2003_74-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFBruce_Perens2003" class="citation web cs1"><a href="/wiki/Bruce_Perens" title="Bruce Perens">Bruce Perens</a> (2 September 2003). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://lists.debian.org/debian-legal/2003/09/msg00091.html">"stepping in between Debian and FSF"</a>. lists.debian.org/debian-legal<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">20 March</span> 2016</span>. <q>FSF, a Free Software organization, isn't being entirely true to the Free Software ethos while it is promoting a license that allows invariant sections to be applied to anything but the license text and attribution. FSF is not Creative Commons:the documentation that FSF handles is an essential component of FSF's Free Software, and should be treated as such. In that light, the GFDL isn't consistent with the ethos that FSF has promoted for 19 years.</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=stepping+in+between+Debian+and+FSF&rft.pub=lists.debian.org%2Fdebian-legal&rft.date=2003-09-02&rft.au=Bruce+Perens&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Flists.debian.org%2Fdebian-legal%2F2003%2F09%2Fmsg00091.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-debianresolution-75"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-debianresolution_75-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.debian.org/vote/2006/vote_001.en.html#amendmenttexta">"Resolution: Why the GNU Free Documentation License is not suitable for Debian"</a>. <i>Debian Project</i>. February–March 2006<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">20 June</span> 2009</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Debian+Project&rft.atitle=Resolution%3A+Why+the+GNU+Free+Documentation+License+is+not+suitable+for+Debian&rft.date=2006-02%2F2006-03&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.debian.org%2Fvote%2F2006%2Fvote_001.en.html%23amendmenttexta&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-76"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-76">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFFLOSS_Manuals_Foundation2007" class="citation web cs1"><a href="/wiki/FLOSS_Manuals" title="FLOSS Manuals">FLOSS Manuals Foundation</a> (6 June 2007). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.today/20080228211105/http://en.flossmanuals.net/bin/view/Blog/LicenseChange/">"License Change"</a>. <i>FLOSS Manuals Blog</i>. FLOSS Manuals Foundation. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://en.flossmanuals.net/bin/view/Blog/LicenseChange/">the original</a> on 28 February 2008<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">20 June</span> 2009</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=FLOSS+Manuals+Blog&rft.atitle=License+Change&rft.date=2007-06-06&rft.au=FLOSS+Manuals+Foundation&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fen.flossmanuals.net%2Fbin%2Fview%2FBlog%2FLicenseChange%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-77"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-77">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://fsfe.org/campaigns/gplv3/barcelona-rms-transcript#q11-banning-bad-use">"Transcript of Richard Stallman at the 3nd international GPLv3 conference"</a>. Free Software Foundation Europe. 22 June 2006<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">23 July</span> 2017</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Transcript+of+Richard+Stallman+at+the+3nd+international+GPLv3+conference&rft.pub=Free+Software+Foundation+Europe&rft.date=2006-06-22&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Ffsfe.org%2Fcampaigns%2Fgplv3%2Fbarcelona-rms-transcript%23q11-banning-bad-use&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-78"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-78">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFSam_Varghese2012" class="citation web cs1">Sam Varghese (7 February 2012). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.itwire.com/business-it-news/open-source/52838-gpl-use-in-debian-on-the-rise-study">"GPL use in Debian on the rise: study"</a>. Itwire.com<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2 September</span> 2013</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=GPL+use+in+Debian+on+the+rise%3A+study&rft.pub=Itwire.com&rft.date=2012-02-07&rft.au=Sam+Varghese&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.itwire.com%2Fbusiness-it-news%2Fopen-source%2F52838-gpl-use-in-debian-on-the-rise-study&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-79"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-79">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://lwn.net/Articles/547400/">"Surveying open source licenses"</a>. Lwn.net<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2 September</span> 2013</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Surveying+open+source+licenses&rft.pub=Lwn.net&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Flwn.net%2FArticles%2F547400%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> </ol></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Free-software_license&action=edit&section=24" title="Edit section: References"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFRosen2004" class="citation book cs1"><a href="/wiki/Lawrence_Rosen_(attorney)" title="Lawrence Rosen (attorney)">Rosen, Lawrence</a> (22 July 2004). <span class="id-lock-registration" title="Free registration required"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/opensourcelicens00rose_0"><i>Open Source Licensing: Software Freedom and Intellectual Property Law</i></a></span>. Prentice Hall. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-13-148787-1" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-13-148787-1"><bdi>978-0-13-148787-1</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Open+Source+Licensing%3A+Software+Freedom+and+Intellectual+Property+Law&rft.pub=Prentice+Hall&rft.date=2004-07-22&rft.isbn=978-0-13-148787-1&rft.aulast=Rosen&rft.aufirst=Lawrence&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Farchive.org%2Fdetails%2Fopensourcelicens00rose_0&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFree-software+license" class="Z3988"></span></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="External_links">External links</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Free-software_license&action=edit&section=25" title="Edit section: External links"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1235681985">.mw-parser-output .side-box{margin:4px 0;box-sizing:border-box;border:1px solid #aaa;font-size:88%;line-height:1.25em;background-color:var(--background-color-interactive-subtle,#f8f9fa);display:flow-root}.mw-parser-output .side-box-abovebelow,.mw-parser-output .side-box-text{padding:0.25em 0.9em}.mw-parser-output .side-box-image{padding:2px 0 2px 0.9em;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .side-box-imageright{padding:2px 0.9em 2px 0;text-align:center}@media(min-width:500px){.mw-parser-output .side-box-flex{display:flex;align-items:center}.mw-parser-output .side-box-text{flex:1;min-width:0}}@media(min-width:720px){.mw-parser-output .side-box{width:238px}.mw-parser-output .side-box-right{clear:right;float:right;margin-left:1em}.mw-parser-output .side-box-left{margin-right:1em}}</style><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1237033735">@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .sistersitebox{display:none!important}}@media screen{html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .sistersitebox img[src*="Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg"]{background-color:white}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .sistersitebox img[src*="Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg"]{background-color:white}}</style><div class="side-box side-box-right plainlinks sistersitebox"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1126788409">.mw-parser-output .plainlist ol,.mw-parser-output .plainlist ul{line-height:inherit;list-style:none;margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .plainlist ol li,.mw-parser-output .plainlist ul li{margin-bottom:0}</style> <div class="side-box-flex"> <div class="side-box-image"><span class="noviewer" typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Wikibooks-logo-en-noslogan.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/df/Wikibooks-logo-en-noslogan.svg/40px-Wikibooks-logo-en-noslogan.svg.png" decoding="async" width="40" height="40" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/df/Wikibooks-logo-en-noslogan.svg/60px-Wikibooks-logo-en-noslogan.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/df/Wikibooks-logo-en-noslogan.svg/80px-Wikibooks-logo-en-noslogan.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="400" data-file-height="400" /></a></span></div> <div class="side-box-text plainlist">Wikibooks has a book on the topic of: <i><b><a href="https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/FOSS_Licensing" class="extiw" title="wikibooks:FOSS Licensing">FOSS Licensing</a></b></i></div></div> </div> <ul><li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html">The Free Software Definition</a>, by the Free Software Foundation.</li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20000815065020/https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/license-list.html">The Free Software Foundation's list of free and non-free licenses</a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.debian.org/legal/licenses/">Debian's license information page</a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.opensource.org/licenses/">Open Source Initiative's list of licenses</a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.oreilly.com/library/view/understanding-open-source/0596005814/">Understanding Open Source and Free Software Licensing</a>, by Andrew M. St. Laurent</li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.softwarefreedom.org/resources/2008/foss-primer.html">A 45-page licensing primer</a> by <a href="/wiki/Software_Freedom_Law_Center" title="Software Freedom Law Center">Software Freedom Law Center</a></li></ul> <div class="navbox-styles"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1236075235">.mw-parser-output .navbox{box-sizing:border-box;border:1px solid #a2a9b1;width:100%;clear:both;font-size:88%;text-align:center;padding:1px;margin:1em auto 0}.mw-parser-output .navbox .navbox{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .navbox+.navbox,.mw-parser-output .navbox+.navbox-styles+.navbox{margin-top:-1px}.mw-parser-output .navbox-inner,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup{width:100%}.mw-parser-output .navbox-group,.mw-parser-output .navbox-title,.mw-parser-output .navbox-abovebelow{padding:0.25em 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href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1239400231"><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:FOSS" title="Template:FOSS"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:FOSS" title="Template talk:FOSS"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:FOSS" title="Special:EditPage/Template:FOSS"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div><div id="Free_and_open-source_software510" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><a href="/wiki/Free_and_open-source_software" title="Free and open-source software">Free and open-source software</a></div></th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">General</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Alternative_terms_for_free_software" title="Alternative terms for free software">Alternative terms for free software</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Comparison_of_open-source_and_closed-source_software" title="Comparison of open-source and closed-source software">Comparison of open-source and closed-source software</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Comparison_of_source-code-hosting_facilities" title="Comparison of source-code-hosting facilities">Comparison of source-code-hosting facilities</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Free_software" title="Free software">Free software</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_free_software_project_directories" title="List of free software project directories">Free software project directories</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gratis_versus_libre" title="Gratis versus libre">Gratis versus libre</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Long-term_support" title="Long-term support">Long-term support</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Open-source_software" title="Open-source software">Open-source software</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Open-source_software_development" title="Open-source software development">Open-source software development</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Outline_of_free_software" title="Outline of free software">Outline</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Timeline_of_free_and_open-source_software" title="Timeline of free and open-source software">Timeline</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/List_of_free_and_open-source_software_packages" title="List of free and open-source software packages">Software<br />packages</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Comparison_of_free_software_for_audio" title="Comparison of free software for audio">Audio</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_open-source_bioinformatics_software" title="List of open-source bioinformatics software">Bioinformatics</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_open-source_codecs" title="List of open-source codecs">Codecs</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Comparison_of_open-source_configuration_management_software" title="Comparison of open-source configuration management software">Configuration management</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Device_driver" title="Device driver">Drivers</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Free_and_open-source_graphics_device_driver" title="Free and open-source graphics device driver">Graphics</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Comparison_of_open-source_wireless_drivers" title="Comparison of open-source wireless drivers">Wireless</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_open-source_health_software" title="List of open-source health software">Health</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_open-source_software_for_mathematics" title="List of open-source software for mathematics">Mathematics</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_office_suites" title="List of office suites">Office suites</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Comparison_of_open-source_operating_systems" title="Comparison of open-source operating systems">Operating systems</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_open-source_routing_platforms" title="List of open-source routing platforms">Routing</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_free_television_software" title="List of free television software">Television</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_open-source_video_games" title="List of open-source video games">Video games</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_free_and_open-source_web_applications" title="List of free and open-source web applications">Web applications</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Comparison_of_shopping_cart_software" title="Comparison of shopping cart software">E-commerce</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_free_and_open-source_Android_applications" title="List of free and open-source Android applications">Android apps</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_free_and_open-source_iOS_applications" title="List of free and open-source iOS applications">iOS apps</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_commercial_open-source_applications_and_services" title="List of commercial open-source applications and services">Commercial</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_formerly_proprietary_software" title="List of formerly proprietary software">Formerly proprietary</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_formerly_free_and_open-source_software" class="mw-redirect" title="List of formerly free and open-source software">Formerly open-source</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Community_of_practice" title="Community of practice">Community</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Free_software_movement" title="Free software movement">Free software movement</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/History_of_free_and_open-source_software" title="History of free and open-source software">History</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Open-source-software_movement" class="mw-redirect" title="Open-source-software movement">Open-source-software movement</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_free-software_events" title="List of free-software events">Events</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Open-source_software_advocacy" title="Open-source software advocacy">Advocacy</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/List_of_free_and_open-source_software_organizations" title="List of free and open-source software organizations">Organisations</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Free_Software_Movement_of_India" title="Free Software Movement of India">Free Software Movement of India</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Free_Software_Foundation" title="Free Software Foundation">Free Software Foundation</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a class="mw-selflink selflink">Licenses</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Academic_Free_License" title="Academic Free License">AFL</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Apache_License" title="Apache License">Apache</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Apple_Public_Source_License" title="Apple Public Source License">APSL</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Artistic_License" title="Artistic License">Artistic</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Beerware" title="Beerware">Beerware</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/BSD_licenses" title="BSD licenses">BSD</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Creative_Commons_license" title="Creative Commons license">Creative Commons</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Common_Development_and_Distribution_License" title="Common Development and Distribution License">CDDL</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Eclipse_Public_License" title="Eclipse Public License">EPL</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Free_Software_Foundation" title="Free Software Foundation">Free Software Foundation</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/GNU_General_Public_License" title="GNU General Public License">GNU GPL</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/GNU_Affero_General_Public_License" title="GNU Affero General Public License">GNU AGPL</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/GNU_Lesser_General_Public_License" title="GNU Lesser General Public License">GNU LGPL</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/ISC_license" title="ISC license">ISC</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/MIT_License" title="MIT License">MIT</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mozilla_Public_License" title="Mozilla Public License">MPL</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Python_License" title="Python License">Python</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Python_Software_Foundation_License" title="Python Software Foundation License">Python Software Foundation License</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Shared_Source_Initiative" title="Shared Source Initiative">Shared Source Initiative</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sleepycat_License" class="mw-redirect" title="Sleepycat License">Sleepycat</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Unlicense" title="Unlicense">Unlicense</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/WTFPL" title="WTFPL">WTFPL</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Zlib_License" title="Zlib License">zlib</a></li></ul> </div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th id="Types_and_standards23" scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Types and<br /> standards</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Comparison_of_free_and_open-source_software_licenses" title="Comparison of free and open-source software licenses">Comparison of licenses</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Contributor_License_Agreement" title="Contributor License Agreement">Contributor License Agreement</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Copyleft" title="Copyleft">Copyleft</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Debian_Free_Software_Guidelines" class="mw-redirect" title="Debian Free Software Guidelines">Debian Free Software Guidelines</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Definition_of_Free_Cultural_Works" title="Definition of Free Cultural Works">Definition of Free Cultural Works</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Free_license" title="Free license">Free license</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/The_Free_Software_Definition" title="The Free Software Definition">The Free Software Definition</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/The_Open_Source_Definition" title="The Open Source Definition">The Open Source Definition</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Open-source_license" title="Open-source license">Open-source license</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Permissive_software_license" title="Permissive software license">Permissive software license</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Public_domain" title="Public domain">Public domain</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Challenges</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Digital_rights_management" title="Digital rights management">Digital rights management</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/License_proliferation" title="License proliferation">License proliferation</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mozilla_software_rebranded_by_Debian" class="mw-redirect" title="Mozilla software rebranded by Debian">Mozilla software rebranding</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Proprietary_device_driver" class="mw-redirect" title="Proprietary device driver">Proprietary device drivers</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Proprietary_firmware" title="Proprietary firmware">Proprietary firmware</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Proprietary_software" title="Proprietary software">Proprietary software</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/SCO%E2%80%93Linux_disputes" title="SCO–Linux disputes">SCO/Linux controversies</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Software_patents_and_free_software" title="Software patents and free software">Software patents</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Open-source_software_security" title="Open-source software security">Software security</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tivoization" title="Tivoization">Tivoization</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Trusted_Computing" title="Trusted Computing">Trusted Computing</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Related <br />topics</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Fork_(software_development)" title="Fork (software development)">Forking</a></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/GNU_Manifesto" title="GNU Manifesto">GNU Manifesto</a></i></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Microsoft_Open_Specification_Promise" title="Microsoft Open Specification Promise">Microsoft Open Specification Promise</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Open-core_model" title="Open-core model">Open-core model</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Open-source_hardware" title="Open-source hardware">Open-source hardware</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Shared_Source_Initiative" title="Shared Source Initiative">Shared Source Initiative</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Source-available_software" title="Source-available software">Source-available software</a></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/The_Cathedral_and_the_Bazaar" title="The Cathedral and the Bazaar">The Cathedral and the Bazaar</a></i></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Revolution_OS" title="Revolution OS">Revolution OS</a></i></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><td class="navbox-abovebelow" colspan="2" style="font-weight:bold"><div> <ul><li><span class="noviewer" typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Symbol_portal_class.svg" class="mw-file-description" title="Portal"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/e/e2/Symbol_portal_class.svg/16px-Symbol_portal_class.svg.png" decoding="async" width="16" height="16" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/e/e2/Symbol_portal_class.svg/23px-Symbol_portal_class.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/e/e2/Symbol_portal_class.svg/31px-Symbol_portal_class.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="180" data-file-height="185" /></a></span> <a href="/wiki/Portal:Free_and_open-source_software" title="Portal:Free and open-source software">Portal</a></li> <li><span class="noviewer" typeof="mw:File"><span title="Category"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/96/Symbol_category_class.svg/16px-Symbol_category_class.svg.png" decoding="async" width="16" height="16" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/96/Symbol_category_class.svg/23px-Symbol_category_class.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/96/Symbol_category_class.svg/31px-Symbol_category_class.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="180" data-file-height="185" /></span></span> <a href="/wiki/Category:Free_software" title="Category:Free software">Category</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <div class="navbox-styles"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236075235"></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox" aria-labelledby="Intellectual_property_activism89" style="padding:3px"><table class="nowraplinks mw-collapsible autocollapse navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1239400231"><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:Intellectual_property_activism" title="Template:Intellectual property activism"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Intellectual_property_activism" title="Template talk:Intellectual property activism"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Intellectual_property_activism" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Intellectual property activism"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div><div id="Intellectual_property_activism89" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><a href="/wiki/Intellectual_property" title="Intellectual property">Intellectual property</a> activism</div></th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Issues</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Artificial_scarcity" title="Artificial scarcity">Artificial scarcity</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Censorship_by_copyright" title="Censorship by copyright">Censorship by copyright</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Copyright_infringement" title="Copyright infringement">Copyright infringement</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Copyright_troll" title="Copyright troll">Copyright troll</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Digital_rights_management" title="Digital rights management">Digital rights management</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gripe_site" title="Gripe site">Gripe site</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Legal_aspects_of_file_sharing" title="Legal aspects of file sharing">Legal aspects of file sharing</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mashup_(culture)" title="Mashup (culture)">Mashup</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Mashup_(web_application_hybrid)" title="Mashup (web application hybrid)">digital</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mashup_(music)" title="Mashup (music)">music</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mashup_novel" title="Mashup novel">novel</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mashup_(video)" title="Mashup (video)">videos</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Monopolies_of_knowledge" title="Monopolies of knowledge">Monopolies of knowledge</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Music_piracy" title="Music piracy">Music piracy</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Orphan_work" title="Orphan work">Orphan works</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Biopiracy" title="Biopiracy">Biopiracy</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Bioprospecting" title="Bioprospecting">Bioprospecting</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Societal_views_on_patents" class="mw-redirect" title="Societal views on patents">Patents</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Biological_patent" title="Biological patent">biological</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Software_patent" title="Software patent">software</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Software_patent_debate" title="Software patent debate">software patent debate</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Patent_troll" title="Patent troll">trolling</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Public_domain" title="Public domain">Public domain</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Concepts</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/All_rights_reversed" title="All rights reversed">All rights reversed</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Copyright_alternatives" title="Copyright alternatives">Alternative compensation system</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Anti-copyright_notice" title="Anti-copyright notice">Anti-copyright notice</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Business_models_for_open-source_software" title="Business models for open-source software">Business models for open-source software</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Copyleft" title="Copyleft">Copyleft</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Commercial_use_of_copyleft_works" title="Commercial use of copyleft works">Commercial use of copyleft works</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Commons-based_peer_production" title="Commons-based peer production">Commons-based peer production</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Electronic_sell-through" title="Electronic sell-through">Electronic sell-through</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Free_content" title="Free content">Free content</a></li> <li><a class="mw-selflink selflink">Free-software license</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Libertarian_perspectives_on_intellectual_property" title="Libertarian perspectives on intellectual property">Libertarian positions</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Open_content" class="mw-redirect" title="Open content">Open content</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Open-design_movement" title="Open-design movement">Open-design movement</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Open_music_model" title="Open music model">Open music model</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Patentleft" title="Patentleft">Open patent</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Open_source" title="Open source">Open source</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Open-source_hardware" title="Open-source hardware">hardware</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Open-source_software" title="Open-source software">software</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Prizes_as_an_alternative_to_patents" title="Prizes as an alternative to patents">Prizes instead of patents</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Inducement_prize_contest" title="Inducement prize contest">contests</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Share-alike" title="Share-alike">Share-alike</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Video_on_demand" title="Video on demand">Video on demand</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Movements</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Access_to_Knowledge_movement" title="Access to Knowledge movement">Access to Knowledge movement</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Criticism_of_copyright" title="Criticism of copyright">Anti-copyright</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cultural_environmentalism" title="Cultural environmentalism">Cultural environmentalism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Free-culture_movement" title="Free-culture movement">Free-culture movement</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Free_software_movement" title="Free software movement">Free software movement</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Organizations</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Pro-copyright</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Copyright_Alliance" title="Copyright Alliance">Copyright Alliance</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Pro-copyleft</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Anna%27s_Archive" title="Anna's Archive">Anna's Archive</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Creative_Commons" title="Creative Commons">Creative Commons</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Electronic_Frontier_Foundation" title="Electronic Frontier Foundation">Electronic Frontier Foundation</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Free_Software_Foundation" title="Free Software Foundation">Free Software Foundation</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Library_Genesis" title="Library Genesis">Library Genesis</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Open_Rights_Group" title="Open Rights Group">Open Rights Group</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Organization_for_Transformative_Works" title="Organization for Transformative Works">Organization for Transformative Works</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/The_Pirate_Bay" title="The Pirate Bay">The Pirate Bay</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Piratbyr%C3%A5n" title="Piratbyrån">Piratbyrån</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Pirate_Party" title="Pirate Party">Pirate Party</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Public_Knowledge" title="Public Knowledge">Public Knowledge</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sci-Hub" title="Sci-Hub">Sci-Hub</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Shadow_library" title="Shadow library">Shadow library</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Students_for_Free_Culture" title="Students for Free Culture">Students for Free Culture</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Z-Library" title="Z-Library">Z-Library</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">People</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Cory_Doctorow" title="Cory Doctorow">Cory Doctorow</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Alexandra_Elbakyan" title="Alexandra Elbakyan">Alexandra Elbakyan</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Rick_Falkvinge" title="Rick Falkvinge">Rick Falkvinge</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lawrence_Lessig" title="Lawrence Lessig">Lawrence Lessig</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Richard_Stallman" title="Richard Stallman">Richard Stallman</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Peter_Suber" title="Peter Suber">Peter Suber</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Peter_Sunde" title="Peter Sunde">Peter Sunde</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Aaron_Swartz" title="Aaron Swartz">Aaron Swartz</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Documentaries</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><i><a href="/wiki/Steal_This_Film" title="Steal This Film">Steal This Film</a></i></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Good_Copy_Bad_Copy" title="Good Copy Bad Copy">Good Copy Bad Copy</a></i></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/RiP!:_A_Remix_Manifesto" title="RiP!: A Remix Manifesto">RiP!: A Remix Manifesto</a></i></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/TPB_AFK" title="TPB AFK">TPB AFK</a></i></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/The_Internet%27s_Own_Boy" title="The Internet's Own Boy">The Internet's Own Boy</a></i></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <div class="navbox-styles"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236075235"></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox" aria-labelledby="Software_distribution163" style="padding:3px"><table class="nowraplinks mw-collapsible autocollapse navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1239400231"><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a 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title="Beerware">Beerware</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Floating_licensing" title="Floating licensing">Floating licensing</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Free_and_open-source_software" title="Free and open-source software">Free and open-source</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Free_software" title="Free software">Free</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Open-source_software" title="Open-source software">Open source</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Freely_redistributable_software" title="Freely redistributable software">Freely redistributable</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/License-free_software" title="License-free software">License-free</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Proprietary_software" title="Proprietary software">Proprietary</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Public-domain_software" title="Public-domain software">Public domain</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Source-available_software" title="Source-available software">Source-available</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" 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