Re: Appropriate license for packages

On 16 Feb 2004 at 0:04, Lukas Smith wrote: > Christian Stocker wrote: > > > On 2/15/04 10:29 PM, Klaus Guenther wrote: > > > >> "Stefan Neufeind" <stefan@neufeind.net> wrote: > >> > >>> although this is a little OT, maybe somebody can help me out. Does > >>> somebody know of any talks held or articles written about choosing > >>> the right license? This would be of particular interest to me with > >>> reference to packages (like the ones shipped by PEAR). > >> > >> > >> > >> I think it would be of use. Iirc, there was an article on licensing > >> in the PHP Magazine International Edition, but it would be nice to > >> have a page in the manual that describes the various licenses that > >> are acceptable to PEAR and the benefits of each. > >> > >> > >>> When reading the PHP license again I recently thought there might > >>> be paragraphs in it which completely don't go together with PEAR > >>> packages (not only but e.g. even the closing sentence "This > >>> product includes the Zend Engine" - which is not included when we > >>> distribute packages). > >> > >> > >> > >> That is right. Perhaps it is time to create a PEAR license that is > >> based on the PHP license, but without certain clauses -- such as > >> the one you > > > Please not yet another lisence ;) > > > > If you'd like to switch or recommend something else than the PHP > > license, please consider the Apache 2.0 License. From > > http://apache.org/licenses/ : > > Actually we talked about this topic a bit recently in the group list > as the current faq list is quite exentsive with a few problematic ones > still listed (like GPL and QPL). > > In general I dont feel we should come up with yet another license. If > you want to be on the safe side for PEAR choose the PHP, Apache, > BSD-style or LGPL license. Totally agreed. Just leaves it open which one is the "best". This means: What are the major differences, maybe also seen from an advocates view. Thats why I asked if somebody has enough knowledge about this topic and maybe prepared an article / a talk on it. In my eyes the PHP-license does not say very much. And some of the things it says even don't apply to our "packages" at all (imho). Haven't had a closer look at the Apache, BSD or LGPL-license and compared them in- depth. But all I could do is take a "guess" which suits best. And I believe that many PEAR developers don't even think too much about licensing issues and choose e.g. PHP license because they have to choose one, not because they are convinced. Regards, Stefan