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I've been studying java for the past couple months and I made a simple program that uses those Libraries:
JSoup [MIT License] http://jsoup.org/license
XStream [BSD license] http://x-stream.github.io/license.html
Now, my question is, do I just make a License button in my program and paste there the MIT and BSD license (from the links above).
Also, do I need to license my program?
In the future, I would like to release the program with ads as a closed source program. Will it be a problem?
Thanks.
Also, do I need to license my program?
You don't need - but better do! If you don't use a existing one (GPL, BSD, Apache, ...) make sure you know how to write a license!!
make a License button in my program and paste there the MIT and BSD license (from the links above).
This is one way, you can also place the license into separate files (personal recommendation). Eg. create a license folder with a file for each library and it's license inside (or something else to make clear what license belongs to what lib).
In general you should make the licenses visible without the need to start your program!
Examples:
Create files for each license
<app root>
|
+- licenses
| |
| +- jsoup.txt <-- jsoup's license
| |
| +- xtream.txt <-- xtream license
|
...
Create a single file for all licenses
3RD-PARTIES.txt
3rd Parties
-----------
---------------------------------------------------------
This software uses '<name1>' - <description1> <version1> <year1>
<license1>
---------------------------------------------------------
This software uses '<name2>' - <description2> <version2> <year2>
<license2>
---------------------------------------------------------
In the future, I would like to release the program with ads as a closed source program. Will it be a problem?
From the view of BSD / MIT this shouldn't be a problem.
Documentation:
Various Licenses and Comments about Them
What is Software licensing? - A quick guide to the basics of Software Licensing by Nalpeiron
The Challenges Of Software Licensing
Open Source Best Practices
Related
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I have built a small program for plotting data from serial port using Qt and QCustomPlot. I am an engineering student, and I had a project that required me to manipulate data from the ADC of an mbed, so I built this app for my convenience and for experience. I would like to share it with other people who need such a tool (will put it on the mbed website).
I am not a programmer and I do not know a thing about licenses. The QCustomPlot is under GPL. I read that I cannot use static linkage with the GPL licence for QT; I do not intend to, (I will post the source too), but would like to include a statically built version of the program for people who would rather just use the program.
So without going in too much detail, what can I do? Also, do I need to include any disclaimers in my source?
First of all: choose a license for your software. The website http://choosealicense.com can help you in doing that.
Usually a license requires to add a text header to your source code files. This is just a fragment of text which shows the terms of the license right within the source code.
Also, a license.txt file is often required in which the full license has to be pasted. Anyway choosealicense.com clearly explains what to do.
Notice that some licenses (e.g. the GPL) need that a list of changes is added to your source code. This list has to be mantained through the entire life of your software distribution and updated when you provide new releases.
When you are ready with your package use a website like GitHub to distribute it as a source code.
Do not include binaries. Just add the source code and a README file in which you explain how to compile them.
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We will develop one commercial software for one company, and this software will be sold to customers of the company. This software contains font-end JS/HTML based codes and back-end C++ codes. We want to use ExtJS4.2 to develop font-end module.
We will not modify ExtJS code itself and just use it for the library, but I don't know if extending ExtJS type/class will be treated as "modifying ExtJS".
If we do not want to make back-end codes open source, which license do we need?
If we have to use Commercial License, Could we first use GPLv3 to try the ExtJS for learning and training privately in company, and use Commercial license when we decide to release software and begin to charge?
If we have to use Commercial License, which kind of Commercial License do we need to buy? We have one team containing several people to develop font-end module.
"Could we first use GPLv3 to try the ExtJS for learning and training privately in company, and use Commercial license when we decide to release software and begin to charge?"
Not according to Sencha's own commercial license. See this section of http://www.sencha.com/legal/sencha-sdk-software-license-agreement
"The Open Source version of the Software (“GPL Version”) is licensed under the terms of the GNU General Public License versions 3.0 (“GPL”) and not under this Agreement. If You, or another third party, has, at any time, developed all (or any portions of) the Application(s) using the GPL Version, You may not combine such development work with the Software and must license such Application(s) (or any portions derived there from) under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 3, a copy of which is located at http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html."
I think all your questions are answered here.
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I plan to use CKEditor in commercial site. I've read http://ckeditor.com/license but I didn't understand how it is possible to have pricing for commercial use while they offer LGPL(which is good choice for commercial use)
Imagine you want to compile the javascript code of CkEditor into a binary application. Just assume this is possible. Then you would not ship the source code of the library any longer.
If you now even make modifications to the source code to distribute within the binary, you do not satisfy the LGPL as it requires that you provide the source for the library along with your binary. Same for the MPL on the file level.
If you don't want to distribute (your changes in) the source-code form of the library, you then can get a commercial license by the project (you buyout the license).
Next to such specific cases I can imagine that some folks just would like to have a commercial license as form of a backup if their legal department is too much puzzled. If the license is relatively cheap, they can opt for it and continue with their own work w/o being further interrupted. Business, you need to keep it running.
But regarding the LGPL, as long as you offer source (incl. the changes you probably make) of the library, you're fine to use it with non-free programs. So this does not mean that your website must be LGPL it's just using a LGPL'ed library.
You can use it for your commercial website. However, if you build a product and want to include (distribute) CKEditor with it then you might need a commercial license.
The condition whether you need the license is based on your product's license. If your product is closed sourced then including an open source product with it without sharing the source code is illegal. So, this commercial/closed distribution license fills the gap. You pay for it and you can distribute your product with the CKEditor closed sourced. Additionally you may do any closed source modifications to CKEditor.
TL;DR: if you want to modify and distribute it with a commercial license then you need to pay, otherwise you are free to use to for free!
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How would one follow the proper steps in order to license a "package" under the terms of Artistic License 2, as published by the Perl Foundation.
Is there a guide, such as GNU's GPL how-to that I'm missing?
I've only found CPAN's Licensing Guide, I believe it would apply for external use too, wouldn't it?
Otherwise, I presume adding a notice at the start of each source code file, and including a copy of the license itself with the distribution would do the trick.
Still, since licensing is quite an important issue, I'd like to hear any views on this.
Before I start, I must warn you I'm not a lawyer.
As far as I know, the way you communicate the license to others is not dependent on any specific license. If you're the sole author of the work, you hold the copyright and have the exclusive rights to decide what is allowed with respect to distribution, modification etc. You can communicate your decision through a well known licence to help potential users of your work understand the terms of usage.
From a practical view, adding a copyright notice to the distribution & copyright headers pointing to that notice to source files should be enough. Also, the licence should be clearly mentioned on the site where you provide download of the distribution.
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This page summarizes different license types' terms (GPL, LGPL, MIT, BSD, etc):
http://www.codeproject.com/info/Licenses.aspx
Say I write a program for sale that uses a software under one of the licensing types where "Can be used in commercial applications:" is true, and "Can be used in proprietary (closed source) applications:" is true.
Then if the "Bug fixes / extensions must be released to the public domain:" line is true, what does it mean to me? What am I required to do?
Thank you.
This will usually mean that if you build a patch or other modification of the program and want to distribute it you must also publish the sources of that modification under a license explicitly mentioned in the program license text.
In some license types this includes both the other program and any program using that (including your program). In others (like LGPL) this will only be required only for modification made to that program, but not to your program if they are separated (LGPL is typically used for libraries and doesn't enforce publishing the library consumers).
simply:
you can sell (and release with your own commercial license) your own app built with the provided code.
but:
you can not improve on the code (of the software you are using within your app) directly and not give it to public domain (usually it is in the original license of the software).
Instead of relying on those summaries, you would be advised to carefully read the license for any open source license you plan to use in a closed source product.
For instance, LGPL does not actually require you to release source code changes to the public domain. Rather, it requires you to release them under the terms of the LGPL.
If you are nor sure that you understand the implications of a particular license, talk to your company's lawyers.