You can freely use, modify, distribute and sell a software licensed under the apache license without worrying about the use of software. Compliance costs and the apache license the apache openoffice compliance advantages as you probably already know, you dont own software in the same way you own a chair or a desk. It was created by michael stutz after his interest in applying gnustyle copyleft to nonsoftware works, which later came to be called open content. Apr, 2015 apache openoffice is distributed under a license the apache 2 license that by design permits anyone to reuse the code and create derivative products almost under any license, ranging from copyleft to proprietary. Apple public source license, and the apache license. Apache openoffice is distributed under a license the apache 2 license that by design permits anyone to reuse the code and create derivative products almost under any license, ranging from copyleft to proprietary.
Bsd license problem gnu project free software foundation. The berkley software distribution licenses is a non copyleft, permissive license. The apache software foundation uses various licenses to distribute software and documentation, to accept regular contributions from individuals and corporations, and to accept larger grants of existing software products. While the gpl is an open source license, it is fundamentally a free software license. However, for libraries that compete against wellestablished proprietary standards, as ogg vorbis does against mp3, the fsf suggests using the permissive apache license 2. The licenses are incompatible in one direction only, and it is a result of asfs licensing. From beerware licensing, where you need to buy a beer for the open source programmer if you see them in a bar, to the finetuned and legallycurated berkeley software distribution bsd license, we have it. See how to choose a license for your own work for general recommendations about choosing a license for your work the two major categories of free software license are copyleft and noncopyleft.
Openssl has completed a relicensing effort, resulting in adoption of apache 2. The apache license is a permissive free software license written by the apache software foundation asf. How to choose the best license for your open source software. Copyleft licenses such as the gnu gpl insist that modified versions of the program must be free software as well. The gnu general public license gnu gpl or gpl is a series of widely used free software licenses that guarantee end users the freedom to run, study, share, and modify the software. Apache openoffice aoo is an opensource office productivity software suite. The fsf specifically designed this clause to achieve gplv3 compatibility for the apache software license. The apache license is a permissive open source software license so you can release your modified version of the apache licensed product under any license of your choice. The following licenses are sorted by the number of conditions, from most gnu agplv3 to none unlicense. Compliance costs and the apache license software license compliance costs. Copyleft is a form of licensing, and can be used to maintain conditions for works ranging from computer software, to documents, to ar.
If your software is a combinedderivate work withof apache2 software, you cannot license that software under the gpl2 and therefore cannot license it under the lgpl2. We normally use the gnu general public license gnu gpl, specifying version 3 or any later version, but occasionally we use other free software licenses. Instead, you license the software from the publisher. Osi agrees with fsf on all widely used freesoftware licenses, but differ from fsfs list, as it approves against the open source definition rather than the free software definition. The revised bsd license 3 clause, and the simplified bsd license 2clause. With open source licenses explained here, it should help you choose the right open source license for your project. The first copyleft license was gnu general public license, written by richard stallman and its is still most used licens of copylefted software.
Such licenses are usually called either noncopyleft or permissive. How to choose the best license for your open source software project getting the right license for your open source project can mean the difference between success and failure for your software. I wish the lgpl would have made this relationship clearer, and the lgpl3 does clarify this. Most of them are equivalent except for details of wording, but the license used for bsd until 1999 had a special problem. As software developers and publishers, when it comes to integrating third party software, we have to look carefully at the license. It may be free software for the person receiving a copy initially, but it cannot be free software after that, because freedom 3 is prohibited from that point onwards in the distribution chain. The osl is a copyleft license, with a termination clause triggered by filing a lawsuit alleging patent infringement. Strong copyleft provisions can be imposed to all derived works which means that the first creator of the works has the most rights. Various licenses and comments about them gnu project free. The incompatibility of apache 2 and gpl2 is well documented. Apr 03, 2017 the gnu general public license gpl, originally written by richard stallman, was the first software copyleft license to see extensive use, and continues to dominate in that area. Here you will find an archive of all the copyleft and open source licenses that have been published in the past. Openssl is covered by one of two licenses, depending on which release is involved. A permissive software license, sometimes also called bsdlike or bsdstyle license, is a freesoftware license with minimal requirements about how the software can be redistributed.
The examples of permissive licenses are mit license, bsd licenses, apple public source license, and the apache license. Copyleft is a general approach to building a program in an unconstrained way which. Whats the difference between permissive and copyleft. Such licenses are usually called either non copyleft or permissive. Gnu lesser gpl and apache software licenses denver. Examples include the gnu allpermissive license, mit license, bsd licenses, apple public source license and apache license. The apache license is a permissive free software license written by the apache software. From beerware licensing, where you need to buy a beer for the open source programmer if you see them in a bar, to the finetuned and legallycurated berkeley software distribution bsd license, we have it all. As a free software license, much of the stewardship and support for the gpl has been driven by the free software foundation. As much as open source licensing is about the grant of ip rights, its also grounded in politics, philosophy and public policy. Most surveys indicate that the vast majority of open source projects use the mit license, the apache license, and the gpl or their variants.
We provide below is a little explanation of copyleft versus non. Scec scientific software is typically licensed under the opensource apache 2. Permissive opensource software licenses continue to gain popularity at the expense of copyleft licenses, according to a forthcoming report from whitesource, a biz that makes software licensing. The software industry watchdog, the business software alliance, offers cash rewards to disgruntled employees who confidentially turn in their employer or exemployer for software. This detailed guide gives you an effective open source licenses comparison. How to choose the best license for your open source. But the requiring of the first two isnt enough to make it copyleft. In all cases, there is a file named license in the toplevel of the release. It allows users to use the software for any purpose, to distribute it, to modify it, and to distribute modified versions of the software under the terms of the license, without concern for royalties. Jan 14, 2020 the apache license is a permissive free software license written by the apache software foundation asf. The apache license is permissive as it does not require any derivative work to be distributed under the same terms.
As of 2016, the most popular freesoftware license is the permissive mit license. If you have some code you are thinking of releasing under an open source license, and you want a quick overview of the broadstrokes differences between these licenses, you have come to the right place. It is a permissive non copyleft license which permits sublicensing, and reusing it with proprietary applications. Open source licenses grant permission for anybody to use, modify, and share licensed software for any purpose, subject to conditions preserving the provenance and openness of the software.
There are many variants of simple noncopyleft free software licenses, such as the expat license, freebsd license, x10 license, the x11 license, and the two bsd berkeley software distribution licenses. To make it free software, you need to release it under a free software license. These licenses help us achieve our goal of providing reliable and longlived software products through collaborative open source software development. Copyleft licenses like gpl are, generally speaking, bad for business. The apache license is widely, but not universally, considered permissive in that it does not require a derivative work of the software, or modifications to the original, to be distributed using the same license unlike copyleft licenses see comparison. The third license is a standard, copyleft compliant license. The terms state that users cant remove existing, patent, trademarks and attribution notices. Commons clause a new opensource license addendum, commons clause, has lawyers, developers, businesses, and opensource supporters fighting with each other. Since our products are commercial and not free our code is closed, we only integrate third party software that have noncopyleft license.
Copyleft, distinguished from, is the practice of offering people the right to freely distribute copies and modified versions of a work with the stipulation that the same rights be preserved in derivative works created later. Frequently answered questions open source initiative. Asf 3rd party license policy apache software foundation. Nov 09, 2019 but even the fsf suggest apache license in some cases. All advertising materials mentioning features or use. Obsession for concision should never trump software freedom. Apache license wikimili, the best wikipedia reader. Open source licenses are licenses that comply with the open source definition in brief, they allow software to be freely used, modified, and shared. Gnuprojekt the gnu operating system and the free software. The incompatibility of apache2 and gpl2 is well documented. Heres the second post in our open source software license faq series.
Software under the following licenses may be included in binary form within an apache product if the inclusion is appropriately labeled see above. Gnu general public license version 3 gnu general public license v2. The apache license is an open source software license released by the apache software foundation asf. For example, the bsd license is a non copyleft open source license. Use to manage open source licenses, from the creators of tl. The open software license osl is a software license created by lawrence rosen. The apache software foundation has been really successful in creating and nurturing open source communities leveraging code. In 2015 according to black duck software and github statistics, the permissive mit license dethroned the gplv2 as most popular free software license to the second place while the permissive apache license follows already at third place. For the purposes of being included in an apache software foundation product, the following licenses are considered to be similar in terms to the apache license 2. The software industry watchdog, the business software alliance, offers cash rewards to disgruntled employees who confidentially turn in their employer or exemployer for software piracy.
Some people call this license the mit license, but that term is. It still requires application of the same license to all unmodified parts. Another possibility is to dual license software, although the fsf does not encourage the practice. The group open source initiative osi defines and maintains a list of approved opensource licenses. So, youre working on that cool new project for a while and youre ready now to make the critical move from closed source to open source. Whats the difference between permissive and copyleft licenses. As a reminder, open source software licenses generally. When an open source license is not copyleft, that means software released under that license can be used as part of programs distributed under other licenses, including proprietary nonopensource licenses. Much of this material herein includes text that was adapted with permission from text that fsf originally published as part of the socalled rationale documents for the various discussion drafts of gplv3.
Copyleft licenses require the derivative works or modified versions of existing software to be released under the same license. It contains a word processor writer, a spreadsheet calc, a presentation application impress, a drawing application draw, a formula editor math, and a. The use of software licenses for non software work is generally discouraged. The answer is that while a strong copyleft license. Copyleft software licenses are considered protective or reciprocal, as contrasted with permissive freesoftware licenses. Permissive opensource software licenses continue to gain popularity at the expense of copyleft licenses, according to a forthcoming report.
This is a lax, permissive noncopyleft free software license, compatible with the gnu gpl. The gnu free documentation license is another example of a copyleft non software license. The major opensource licenses gpl, mit, and apache are covered in depth, and john also provides an overview of establishing a business entity for your software project. The long and short of itif you use open source software within your software development project, any permissive license should be fine. There are 3 bsd licenses, but only two accepted and recommended by the open source initiative and the fsf.
Describes the ability to place warranty on the software licensed. Gpl, also known as copyleft, grants permission to reuse or modify the source code to make derivative works, but if you distribute your program to others, it requires you to license your derivative work under the gpl too. How to choose the best license for your open source software project. The gnu general public license gpl, originally written by richard stallman, was the first software copyleft license to see extensive use, and continues to dominate in that area. The design science license is a strong copyleft license that can apply to any worknot only software or documentation, but also to literature, artworks, music, photography, and video. The opensslssleay license was a nonstandard permissive license, which included attribution clauses of the kind deprecated in apache 1. But there is a potential drawback to using a permissive. As much as i love the work of the free software foundation, their focus has ultimately been anchored from. A permissive software license, sometimes also called bsdlike or bsdstyle license, is a free software license with minimal requirements about how the software can be redistributed. If your software is a combinedderivate work withof apache 2 software, you cannot license that software under the gpl2 and therefore cannot license it under the lgpl2.
The open source initiative osi has certified it as an opensource license, but the debian project judged version 1. Most discussions of free software licenses bore listeners. John discusses the differences between permissiveness and copyleft as they apply to open source licensing. The licenses were originally written by richard stallman, former head of the free software foundation fsf, for the gnu project, and grant the recipients of a computer program the rights of the free software. The mpls filelevel copyleft is designed to encourage contributors to share modifications they make to your code, while still allowing them to combine your code with code under other licenses open or. Kuhn i was disturbed today to read that oracle will seek to relicense all openoffice code under the apache 2. Weve compiled a list of your top 10 questions about the gpl license in the last post.
It is one of the successor projects of and the designated successor of ibm lotus symphony. It considers free software permissive license group to be a reference implementation of a free software license. What is the difference between gpl, agpl and lgpl licenses. According to research by white source, the most popular permissive licenses are mit and apache 2. They require all modifications, and any software based on the open. The mpls filelevel copyleft is designed to encourage contributors to share modifications they make to your code, while still allowing them to combine your code with code under other licenses open or proprietary with minimal restrictions. The project got permission from contributors via a cla. Please see specific software distributions for details on their license terms. Gpl version 3 this chapter discusses the text of gplv3. The primary project currently on this site is a tutorial book entitled copyleft and the gnu general public license. See how to choose a license for your own work for general recommendations about choosing a license for your work the two major categories of free software license are copyleft and non copyleft. Most scec software is intended to be opensource scientific software, and is released under an apache 2 software license. The apache software foundation and the free software foundation agree that the apache license 2.
However, gplv3 software cannot be included in apache projects. The third license is a standard, copyleftcompliant license. Kuhn i was disturbed today to read that oracle will seek to relicense all openoffice code under the apache2. Licenses in category x may not be included in apache software foundation products. For example, the bsd license is a noncopyleft open source license. In fact, licenses are usually of such little interest that 85%of the projects on github fail to have one however, one aspect of licensing never fails to stir partisan responses. All software produced by the apache software foundation or any of its projects or subjects is licensed according to the terms of the documents listed below.
It identifies the acceptable licenses for inclusion of thirdparty open source components in apache. Jun 01, 2011 ditching copyleft to compete with a fork. We use only licenses that are compatible with the gnu gpl for gnu software. Top 10 apache license questions answered whitesource. To be approved by the open source initiative also known as the osi, a license must go through the open. Ultimately, the fsf gave priority to making gplv3 a better copyleft license in the spirit of past gpls. The following osiapproved licenses are popular, widely used, or have strong communities.