Re: [Slashcode-general] licensing issues information?

[<al...@ya...>]

 --- shane <sh...@lo...> wrote: > 
> Is there a website or other online resource that
> explains all the different licenses available, and the
> issues that come with each?

I've seen a few explanations but these are usually written by someone with an axe to grind.

I'm a big fan of the perl license and the apache software licenses.

I can explain why I prefer them over GPL but that wont prove they are better - 
merely more appropriate to what I need.
 
> I've got a number of plugins written, or atleast
> being written. I plan to put them all out at no cost
> because slash itself is free (atleast the calendar
> and photo gallery plugins).

Good for you. Can I have a copy please? I'll help beta test them :-)
I want to do a photo album of science fiction authors. A friend has around 
300 photos he wants to put on an academic website...

Likewise my slash site does mention quite a lot of events - it would be nice
to have a calendar of these.
 
> But, I've got a wife, home, kids, and a small
> side business. I don't want to endanger any of them
> by using the "wrong" licensing to put some of these
> out for use and have some idiot come after me
> because he accidentally rm -f'd his drive while installing one
> of my plugins.

I don't think that any license will protect you from the stupidity
of the general public. 

 
> And I honestly don't know what license I would do
> best by going with.

That's easy. I recommend to follow the same strategy as perl modules.
The license for most perl modules is as follows....

"This module is licensed under the same terms as perl itself."

so you could possibly say something like 

"This Slashcode plugin is licensed under the same terms as slashcode itself".

If you really want some fake protection then employ a lawyer.




Alex McLintock
www.DiverseBooks.com



=====
Alex McLintock        al...@OW...    Open Source Consultancy in London
OpenWeb Analysts Ltd, http://www.OWAL.co.uk/ 
SF and Computing Book News and Reviews: http://news.diversebooks.com/
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