0,0 → 1,121 |
BSD Protection License |
February 2002 |
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Preamble |
-------- |
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The Berkeley Software Distribution ("BSD") license has proven very effective |
over the years at allowing for a wide spread of work throughout both |
commercial and non-commercial products. For programmers whose primary |
intention is to improve the general quality of available software, it is |
arguable that there is no better license than the BSD license, as it |
permits improvements to be used wherever they will help, without idealogical |
or metallic constraint. |
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This is of particular value to those who produce reference implementations |
of proposed standards: The case of TCP/IP clearly illustrates that freely |
and universally available implementations leads the rapid acceptance of |
standards -- often even being used instead of a de jure standard (eg, OSI |
network models). |
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With the rapid proliferation of software licensed under the GNU General |
Public License, however, the continued success of this role is called into |
question. Given that the inclusion of a few lines of "GPL-tainted" work |
into a larger body of work will result in restricted distribution -- and |
given that further work will likely build upon the "tainted" portions, |
making them difficult to remove at a future date -- there are inevitable |
circumstances where authors would, in order to protect their goal of |
providing for the widespread usage of their work, wish to guard against |
such "GPL-taint". |
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In addition, one can imagine that companies which operate by producing and |
selling (possibly closed-source) code would wish to protect themselves |
against the rise of a GPL-licensed competitor. While under existing |
licenses this would mean not releasing their code under any form of open |
license, if a license existed under which they could incorporate any |
improvements back into their own (commercial) products then they might be |
far more willing to provide for non-closed distribution. |
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For the above reasons, we put forth this "BSD Protection License": A |
license designed to retain the freedom granted by the BSD license to use |
licensed works in a wide variety of settings, both non-commercial and |
commercial, while protecting the work from having future contributors |
restrict that freedom. |
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The precise terms and conditions for copying, distribution, and |
modification follow. |
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BSD PROTECTION LICENSE |
TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR COPYING, DISTRIBUTION, AND MODIFICATION |
---------------------------------------------------------------- |
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0. Definitions. |
a) "Program", below, refers to any program or work distributed under |
the terms of this license. |
b) A "work based on the Program", below, refers to either the Program |
or any derivative work under copyright law. |
c) "Modification", below, refers to the act of creating derivative works. |
d) "You", below, refers to each licensee. |
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1. Scope. |
This license governs the copying, distribution, and modification of the |
Program. Other activities are outside the scope of this license; The |
act of running the Program is not restricted, and the output from the |
Program is covered only if its contents constitute a work based on the |
Program. |
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2. Verbatim copies. |
You may copy and distribute verbatim copies of the Program as you |
receive it, in any medium, provided that you conspicuously and |
appropriately publish on each copy an appropriate copyright notice; keep |
intact all the notices that refer to this License and to the absence of |
any warranty; and give any other recipients of the Program a copy of this |
License along with the Program. |
|
3. Modification and redistribution under closed license. |
You may modify your copy or copies of the Program, and distribute |
the resulting derivative works, provided that you meet the |
following conditions: |
a) The copyright notice and disclaimer on the Program must be reproduced |
and included in the source code, documentation, and/or other materials |
provided in a manner in which such notices are normally distributed. |
b) The derivative work must be clearly identified as such, in order that |
it may not be confused with the original work. |
c) The license under which the derivative work is distributed must |
expressly prohibit the distribution of further derivative works. |
|
4. Modification and redistribution under open license. |
You may modify your copy or copies of the Program, and distribute |
the resulting derivative works, provided that you meet the |
following conditions: |
a) The copyright notice and disclaimer on the Program must be reproduced |
and included in the source code, documentation, and/or other materials |
provided in a manner in which such notices are normally distributed. |
b) You must clearly indicate the nature and date of any changes made |
to the Program. The full details need not necessarily be included in |
the individual modified files, provided that each modified file is |
clearly marked as such and instructions are included on where the |
full details of the modifications may be found. |
c) You must cause any work that you distribute or publish, that in whole |
or in part contains or is derived from the Program or any part |
thereof, to be licensed as a whole at no charge to all third |
parties under the terms of this License. |
|
5. Implied acceptance. |
You may not copy or distribute the Program or any derivative works except |
as expressly provided under this license. Consequently, any such action |
will be taken as implied acceptance of the terms of this license. |
|
6. NO WARRANTY. |
THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, |
INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY |
AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL |
THE COPYRIGHT HOLDER, OR ANY OTHER PARTY WHO MAY MODIFY AND/OR |
REDISTRIBUTE THE PROGRAM AS PERMITTED ABOVE, BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, |
INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES |
ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE THE PROGRAM (INCLUDING, BUT |
NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF |
USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND |
ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR |
TORT, EVEN IF SUCH HOLDER OR OTHER PARTY HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE |
POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. |