Re: [boost] Draft of new Boost Software License

From: Beman Dawes (bdawes_at_[hidden])
Date: 2003-06-25 21:28:39

At 03:43 PM 6/25/2003, Maciej Sobczak wrote:

 >Well, I have a question.
 >I understand that the text of this license is primarily intended to be
 >used by Boost libraries and those that are candidates to be included in
 >Boost.
 >However, apart from the main Boost effort, some of the Boosters or just
 >Boost lurkers may find the text of the license very good for their own
 >work, which is not connected to the Boost itself.
 >
 >Long version:
 >Let's imagine the following situation (it can apply to any developer on
 >this planet): I write some code and want it to get public. It is outside
 >of mainstream Boost interest, so I do not intend to submit it to Boost.
 >Being concerned with the legal issues, I want to have a license text
 >that is proven to be OK from the lawyers' viewpoint. Of course, a lot of
 >people (Boosters and lawyers) have spent their time preparing and
 >reviewing the Boost license and ensuring that it meets the high
 >standards of today's open software. Is it OK if I just copy-n-paste the
 >Boost license into my own work? Is it OK if I use only part of it?
 >This can have many implications, including legal precedents - for
 >example, when some of my users abuse the license or just asks me what he
 >can do with the software, I can just point him to Boost pages, FAQs,
 >etc. In other words, I may hide behind the curtains sewed by people who
 >just never took me and my work into account. Is it OK if I do it?
 >
 >Short version:
 >Is there any copyright on the Boost license text?
 >What license protects the Boost license? :)

I think part of the answer is that by submitting the Boost Software License 
to the OSI, if accepted, it will become available to anyone who wants to 
use it. But I'm passing some of the above on to the lawyers to get their 
take on the questions.

Thanks,

--Beman