FOSS
Free and open source software.
- Free Software movement: https://writefreesoftware.org
- Open Source definition: https://opensource.org/osd
Organizations:
Licenses
Types:
- Copyleft (GPL family, MPL 2.0)
- Permissive (MIT, Apache 2.0)
- Public domain (Unlicense)
Which to choose:
- https://choosealicense.com
- https://writefreesoftware.org/learn/participate/choose-a-license
- #todo permissive vs copyleft
- #todo strong vs weak copyleft
For libraries:
- https://www.makeworld.space/2021/01/lgpl_go.html
- https://www.nequalsonelifestyle.com/2021/09/01/why-copyleft-mpl-license-is-my-favorite
MPL 2.0:
- FAQ: https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/MPL/2.0/FAQ
- Pros and Cons: https://opensource.stackexchange.com/questions/8831/pros-and-cons-of-using-mpl-2-0-license
✏️ Note
In most countries, copyright is granted automatically, so no explicit copyright notice is required. Most licenses require that copyright notices, if any, be preserved, but they have no legal function.
CLA
Contributor License Agreement.
By signing a CLA, a contributor grants the project owner copyright over their contribution. As the sole copyright holder, the project owner can then change the license without having to ask each contributor for permission.
Arguments against:
- https://drewdevault.com/2018/10/05/Dont-sign-a-CLA.html
- https://drewdevault.com/2023/07/04/Dont-sign-a-CLA-2.html
Developer Certificate of Origin (DCO) is often used as an alternative. Unlike a CLA, it preserves the contributor's copyright.