Re: [Boost-users] Using Boost Software License

Subject: Re: [Boost-users] Using Boost Software License
From: Scott McMurray (me22.ca+boost_at_[hidden])
Date: 2010-06-14 12:03:00

On 14 June 2010 00:15, Paul Bilokon <paul_at_[hidden]> wrote:
>
> (1) What if I were to use a copy of Boost Software License under a different
> name? With/without modification? The rationale here is that I think that the
> licenses may diverge in future versions. Would this be legal?
>

Well, that might count as a derivative work of the BSL, which is
copyrighted, potentially making that not allowed.

Since you need a way to distinguish the current and later licences
anyways, I don't think a diverging licence is a good justification.
Changing your software from the BSL to the PaulSL is just as much work
as changing from the PaulSL to the PaulSLv2.

>
> (2) If my company is based in the United Kingdom, can I still use this
> software license?
>

There's certainly nothing there intentionally preventing it (The open
source definition point 5 or 6 prevent it
<http://opensource.org/docs/osd>), but a country is free to pass
whatever copyright things it wishes, so it's possible that it's not.
That said, the UK isn't one of those countries that has a reputation
of screwing around with copyright, so I'd be very surprised if there
was something preventing the use of the BSL.  (Of course, who knows
what will happen when the infamous new RIAA-"negotiated" treaty gets
bribed through the house...)