A Layperson's Guide to Open Source Licensing

Open source is a huge concept. At its simplest level, open sourced software has not been compiled. A person can analyze the source code that allows the application to run. Open source does not mean free, though many open source projects are also FOSS (free open source software). It is worth noting that one of the founders of the free software movement, Richard Stallman, would argue that open source “misses the point” of software truly being “free” to use. (https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/open-source-misses-the-point.html)

The original intent of much of the FOSS movement was to make software free for use and for developers to extend the uses of software. As a movement, it has morphed into legal protections to allow either the developer or the owner of the intellectual property created or the user of the finished software to maintain or release rights to that work. The tool used to accomplish this declaration of rights is a license.

This session will cover:

• What is a license
• The role of copyright
• Licensing as a continuum
• Compatibility
• Guidelines for choosing a license for your project