The document discusses open source licensing and provides an overview of key concepts: - It introduces Jim Jagielski and his background in open source software development. - Licensing determines how software can be used, modified, and shared. Choosing the right license is important to avoid legal risks. - Common open source licenses include permissive licenses like MIT, weak copyleft licenses like LGPL, and strong copyleft licenses like GPL. The license chosen depends on goals like commercial use or community development.

1. Jim Jagielski || @jimjag
OPEN SOURCE
LICENSING 101

2. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. - Jim Jagielski - @jimjag
@jimjag
ABOUT ME
• Apache Software Foundation
• Co-founder, Director, Vice Chairman, Member and Developer
• Director
• Outercurve, MARSEC-XL, OSSI, OSI (ex)…
• Developer
• Much FOSS projects
• IANAL
• Sr. Director: Tech Fellows: Capital One

3. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. - Jim Jagielski - @jimjag
@jimjag
WHAT’S IN YOUR PROJECT?

4. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. - Jim Jagielski - @jimjag
@jimjag
GOVERNANCE/COMMUNITY

5. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. - Jim Jagielski - @jimjag
@jimjag
WALLED GARDEN

6. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. - Jim Jagielski - @jimjag
@jimjag
BDFL
“Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses,
not from some farcical aquatic ceremony!”

7. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. - Jim Jagielski - @jimjag
@jimjag
MERITOCRACY
“Out of chaos comes order”

8. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. - Jim Jagielski - @jimjag
@jimjag
LICENSES

9. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. - Jim Jagielski - @jimjag
@jimjag
WHY?
• Copyright is the default
• Open Source is everywhere
• The license determines use, re-use and distribution
• Not understanding means risk

10. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. - Jim Jagielski - @jimjag
@jimjag
LICENSE GOALS
• Ensure what parts remain open source/free
• Maintain control over code and direction
• Provide common implementation for standards
• Build community or commercial marketplace
• For most end-users, this is the sole touch-point

11. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. - Jim Jagielski - @jimjag
@jimjag
FREE SOFTWARE
• “Free” as in “free speech” (not as in “free beer”, although free
beer is good!)
• Software freedom is a moral imperative.
• Free Software Definition:
• 4 basic freedoms must be maintained
• Free Software ~== Open Source
• F(L)OSS

12. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. - Jim Jagielski - @jimjag
@jimjag
OPEN SOURCE
• For software to be Open Source, it must be under an OSI
approved Open Source License
• Open Source Definition: http://www.opensource.org/docs/osd
• 10 criteria
• At last count, over 60 exist
• New Open Source licenses are very hard to get approved

13. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. - Jim Jagielski - @jimjag
@jimjag
PROMISES

14. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. - Jim Jagielski - @jimjag
@jimjag
LET’S PRETEND
==

15. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. - Jim Jagielski - @jimjag
@jimjag
PROMISE #1: USE

16. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. - Jim Jagielski - @jimjag
@jimjag
PROMISE #2: MODIFY

17. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. - Jim Jagielski - @jimjag
@jimjag
PROMISE #3: SHARE

18. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. - Jim Jagielski - @jimjag
@jimjag
LICENSES

19. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. - Jim Jagielski - @jimjag
@jimjag
GIVE ME CREDIT
Permissive:
ALv2
MIT
BSD

20. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. - Jim Jagielski - @jimjag
@jimjag
GIVE ME FIXES
Weak Copyleft:
EPL
LGPL

21. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. - Jim Jagielski - @jimjag
@jimjag
GIVE ME EVERYTHING
Strong Copyleft:
GPLv2
GPLv3
AGPL
GPL
GPL
GPLGPL
GPL
GPL
GPL
GPL
GPL
GPL

22. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. - Jim Jagielski - @jimjag
@jimjag
TAKE AWAYS
• A license is a tool. There is no “always right” license
• Take time to decide on the right license type
• Changing licenses can be very difficult
• Avoid “vanity” licenses
• ALWAYS specify a license!

23. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. - Jim Jagielski - @jimjag
@jimjag
THANKS!
• Jim Jagielski
• @jimjag (follow me!)
• www.linkedin.com/in/jimjag/
• http://slideshare.net/jimjag/