Open Software License

Open Software License
AuthorLawrence Rosen
Latest version3.0
Publisher2002, Lawrence Rosen
SPDX identifierOSL-1.0, OSL-1.1, OSL-2.0, OSL-2.1, OSL-3.0
FSF approvedYes[1]
OSI approvedYes
GPL compatibleNo[1]
CopyleftYes
Websiteopensource.org/licenses/OSL-3.0 Edit this on Wikidata

The Open Software License (OSL)[2] is a software license created by Lawrence Rosen. The Open Source Initiative (OSI) has certified it as an open-source license, but the Debian project judged version 1.1[3][4] to be incompatible with the DFSG. The OSL is a copyleft license, with a termination clause triggered by filing a lawsuit alleging patent infringement.

Many people in the free software and open-source community feel that software patents are harmful to software, and are particularly harmful to open-source software.[5] The OSL attempts to counteract that by creating a pool of software which a user can use if that user does not harm it by attacking it with a patent lawsuit.

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference gnu was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "Open Source Initiative OSI – The Open Software License 3.0 (OSL-3.0:Licensing | Open Source Initiative". Opensource.org. October 31, 2006. Retrieved March 4, 2012.
  3. ^ "DFSGLicenses – Debian Wiki". Wiki.debian.org. February 28, 2012. Retrieved March 4, 2012.
  4. ^ "Open Source Initiative OSI - The "Open Software License":Licensing". Opensource.org. May 1, 2006. Archived from the original on May 1, 2006. Retrieved October 15, 2012.
  5. ^ "BusinessWeek". February 6, 2006. Archived from the original on February 8, 2006. Retrieved March 4, 2012.