Open Source Questions

[Killswitch]

I've been debating as to weather I should make all of my projects open source, I'd like to but there's a few things I'd like to make sure I understand before I do so. If you could help me iron out these confusions than I'd be very greatful.

Bear in mind I want to stick to the licence like glue:

1) Can you copy and paste the Open Source licence (http://opensource.org/licenses/osl-2.1.php) into a text file to distribute with your program?

2) Can you 'keep control' of your project. For example if somebody modifies the source to your program can they release with the same name as your project? Or can you allow people to do this, so long as they say that this is a derivative program, but keep an 'official' release?

I think this covers question 2 but I'd just like to see that I've understood it properly.

The license may restrict source-code from being distributed in modified form only if the license allows the distribution of "patch files" with the source code for the purpose of modifying the program at build time. The license must explicitly permit distribution of software built from modified source code. The license may require derived works to carry a different name or version number from the original software.

3) Even though the source is free and downloadable is it ok to sell complete or 'with extras' versions of the code as well?

4) If there is a help file associated with the program is this too covered by the open-source licence? Can you just apply the licence to the program and source code but keep the said help file (or other extra) as something which can be protected?

Thanks for the help

[dmoc]

Google for FOSS and/or Stallman and I thing you'll find plenty of answers

[aaron]

I'm no license guru, but this is how I think it works:

1) Yup, just throw it into a filed called LICENSE.txt or something. If you have a readme.txt with your stuff, point to the license. Maybe on your website also.
2) Depends on the license. Something like GPL doesn't do that... anyone can take your stuff and do anything they want with it, as long as they release the source to what they changed. That includes forking the project.
3) Absolutely that is ok. It is your code, you can do anything you want with it. That includes releasing it under two licenses, one for the general public (open source) and one for you (closed source). Keep in mind that if someone submits code and you include it in the app/whatever, then you no longer have total control over the source... they own the license on their code. You then would not be able to close that portion of the code, unless they assign the copyright to you.

Aaron

[freak]

Ok, no real expert here either, but here is how i understand it:

About 1)
The website you mentioned states this (at the bottom)

Code: Select all

The contents of this website are licensed under the Open Software License 2.1 or Academic Free License 2.1

So yes, the license is "open source" too.

About 2)

There is a difference between the sourcecode of your project and the project itself (for example the name for it). By releasing the code as opensource, you do not
give away any copyright you may hold for the name for example.

So people can modify the code and release it under a different name, but
not under the same name, because that name is yours.

Section 4 of your linked licence states that very clearly.

About 3)
Yes, releasing under different licences is possible. (like mysql does for example)

About 4)
Yes, this is possible too. You just have to state very clearly which part
is released under what conditons. A popular example here would be
MacOSX, where the base system (darwin) is opensource, and all the stuff
build on top of it is not.