Questions tagged [open-source-software]
For questions about open source software, which is licensed under an open source license. Generally, the source code is made available, and it provides a set of terms to allow others to use it. You may want to consider asking your question at Open Source Stack Exchange as well.
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What is the definition of "substantial portions of Software" that is used in MIT License?
Text of MIT License is as follows:
Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining
a copy of this software and associated documentation files (the
"Software"), to deal ...
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Copyright law and distribution terms for public versions or derivatives
The present question is a special case of Can one take BSD licensed code and distribute it under GPL?.
Looking recently at OpenBSD's LibreSSL, I've noticed that SSLeay that it traces its roots to (...
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Mention of open source license in product
We have a product that heavily relies on open source licenses like Apache 2.0, GPL etc.
Our product is a service that we host inhouse and our customers use (like Basecamp), like a Saas, so nobody ...
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Licensing of template code
GitHub has template repositories, that make it easy to offer starter code for new projects. I want to allow anyone to generate their projects from my template and then change the license to whatever ...
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Open source crypto project wallet and its liability
I'm working on a crypto wallet for a top 50 cryptocurrency. I'm part of the core team and we were discussing potential liability around the app we're building.
It's released as-is and under a BSD-2 ...
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Ingesting source files from other open source project into mine
I am publishing an open-source code project under the MIT-style license. I have the full notice in the LICENSE file of the source repository.
I want to take a whole file from another open-source ...
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Is there a body that assists in requesting source code from companies thay are required by license to release their codeass
In short, I want to have the source code of the kernel of a specific Android phone that is produced by a one specific reputable south Korean company.
They are using Android, thus they are obligated by ...
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How to find a US lawyer for consultation in the open-source + banking + blockchain space?
Considering writing open-source software in the banking/cryptocurrency space (in the USA). Want to do it properly, and have a few questions for how to navigate the space.
What's the type of lawyer I ...
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96
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TikTok/WeChat bans and open source software
The executive orders dealing with TikTok and WeChat don't apply to just those particular pieces of software, but "any transaction by any person, or with respect to any property, subject to the ...
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2
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154
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Open source encryption library pose export compliance
I am developing an app which will encrypt users files , photos etc. I use the open source library RNCryptor to do the operation . Does this make my app require export compliance ? . Does the export ...
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When will the baseline patents for encoding/decoding the AAC format expire?
The MP4 container is the most ubiquitous video format in the world. It is commonly used with the H.264 video codec, of which there has been a lot written about when the patents for this codec will ...
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What are the exactly steps need to do to meet a project requirements of aprache2 licnese?
When we find a web app on GitHub with apache2 license, we would like to host it for the public to visit.
From https://tldrlegal.com/license/apache-license-2.0-(apache-2.0)
Must part.
Include ...
- 507
1
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answers
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FOSS License compatibility
I have been struggling to understand license compatibility and how it manifests.
Two examples:
I have a program to which i wrote the codebase. This codebase then dynamically links to two different ...
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1
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0
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58
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AGPL-3.0 license
If make a service for a open source software with this license that interact but isn't part of the software itself, only connected to it,
i would need to provide a open source distribution of the ...
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1
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Use Mint Y theme look and feel in MIT licensed library
I'm writing an UI library for JavaScript. I wish to release my work under the MIT license. As part as my code I wish to provide a hand crafted theme based on the look and feel of the Mint Y family of ...
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1
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0
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Are the graphic assets distributed with an open source software project covered under the software license?
I have an open source software project under the 3-Clause BSD license, which includes a logo in its README. Recently, working on another project, I have found that the license text does not explicitly ...
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0
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Is research in a company for feasibility testing a commercial purpose
There are many products which are licensed for non-commercial purposes, either paid, free or opensource.
Assume there is a company testing and prototyping some ideas of new products. This does not ...
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1
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Legality of the Android APK package format and external support
I was thinking of operating systems, more specifically mobile operating systems, and a thought occurred to me. Let’s say I decided to make an operating system, mobile or otherwise, could I legally ...
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Is there always a legal way to make an open source product integrate against the will of a proprietary vendor?
This question is tightly related to other questions here. I'm asking for the USA. Rather than questioning a method of evasion, or predicating the question on any specific contract let's assume there ...
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ISC vs MIT vs Simplified FreeBSD: what is the difference between these licenses?
What is the difference between:
ISC License
MIT License (Expat)
BSD 2-Clause License (FreeBSD/Simplified)
The ISC seems to be a simplification of MIT and FreeBSD Simplified after Berne convention.
...
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1
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MIT License Creating a script that is illegal to use
Let me be clear on this. We are creating some Open Source scripts to gain more attention on our social media networks. These scripts are not legal to use because they break the Terms of Service of the ...
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87
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Which licence for a Python module with methods using optional GPL modules?
Suppose that I am developing a module A that should fulfill functions f1, f2, ..., fn.
It has methods A.do_f1(), A.do_f2(), ..., A.do_fn(), written in pure Python or using non-GPL modules that can be ...
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Does the personal data use required to distribute software online make activity "commercial"?
The EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) has an exception for non-commercial/open source software. As an exception to the exception, commercial activity seems to explicitly include "the use of personal ...
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178
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Can an AI model licensed under the BigScience RAIL License v1.0 be used in a program that is useful for any domain?
Example: the AI model BLOOM is licensed under the BigScience RAIL License v1.0. The BigScience RAIL License v1.0 forbids that some types of usages:
You agree not to use the Model or Derivatives of ...
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0
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0
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Grant access to previous public research results including IPR for the purpose of future commercial exploitation
We are building a project of technology transfer.
In the project, one partner is a university XXX; the main contact person who will work with us is a professor. Previously, the professor and his team ...
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0
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16
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Does BSD 3-clause extend to educational material
Problem
I am looking to teach a web development course and to help teach JavaScript I wanted to use a package licensed under BSD 3-clause. I am unsure if using the library to teach with violates the ...
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What license would be correct for an online version of a proprietary board Game?
For a student project we created on online version of "The Game" and now we have to decide which open source license (MIT License, GPL, Apache License, etc.) would be the most suitable for ...
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40
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Sales of equipment using hardware that uses OSS developed by the supplier
Suppose that a company (CoA) develops and sells equipment which comes with a software system (SysA) to run it. This equipment is built using associated hardware (HwB) developed by another company (CoB)...
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0
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27
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Open Source License and Copyright Text
If I receive an open source software (for instance, a SaaS application) which contains some open source libraries or packages that I am familiar with, but without the inclusion of the license text (as ...
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63
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GPL-v3 using along with closed source via rest api
I want to use CMS distributed under GPL-v3 licenses. I am building a web application with closed code and my app invokes via REST API backend under GPL-v3. Question: is it legal to use GPL-v3 along ...
0
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Could i "Publish" a Open-Source Game/Software on a Platform without consens of the Development Team
If i saw a Software or Game that is Open-Source (like on GitHub).
Could i be something like a "Publisher" and take this Open-Source Game and put it on a Platform (like Steam) and put my Number as a ...
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68
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Copyright issue of the interface of Windows Notepad
I'm developing Windows application. It is crypto-functioning notepad.
And its design(UI interface) is almost(approx 90%?) same with Microsoft Windows Notepad.
Differences are only some buttons and ...
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0
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Which U.S. law forbids unlicensed diff files for a copyrighted work?
I know the topic is difficult. But - being a programmer and no lawyer - I want to understand it as best as I can. And it would be good to know the legal issue here for all types of works, not just ...
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0
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199
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Can I change MIT license to a proprietary license?
I have an open-source project licensed under MIT. Can I change the license to a proprietary license? (not double licensing) What if I don't want to distribute it anymore and want to move to a ...
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0
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0
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Conditions on using the Java Virtual Machine specification
The appendix to the Java Virtual Machine specification states:
License for Evaluation Purposes. Specification Lead hereby grants you a fully-paid, non-exclusive, non-transferable, ...
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0
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34
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Code Project Open License linking restrictions
The Wikipedia entry for the Code Project Open License lists "Linking from code with a different license" as "Unclear". It seems unambiguous to me: code with a different license could link CPOL-...
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votes
1
answer
214
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Are there any AGPL-style licences that require source code modifications to be public?
So my understanding of the AGPL, is that it requires modifications to be distributed to the users of the network service, but I'm looking for a licence that would require any modifications (non-...
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153
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Modifying Open Source System Files to Cheat
I am asking this question primarily as a follow up to this question: Is creating and selling "cheats" or "hacks" for games illegal?
The consensus in that question seems that it is ...
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1
answer
66
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Does the APACH2 Licence include the implementation of algorithms?
If some algorithm is written in some programming language and licenced under APACHE2 and I rewrote it in another programming language, should the new code be considered as a derivative work or it is a ...
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1
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Sw Tool Linking to open source libraries
If I link proprietary code with open source libraries (licensed under the Apache v2 and MPL1.1 licenses) to create a standalone SW Tool, do I need to release the proprietary code under open source ...
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