

Why you should use a BSD style license for your Open Source Project - peeyek
https://www.freebsd.org/doc/en/articles/bsdl-gpl/article.html#recommendations

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ASneakyFox
I think the main point is really that the bsd license let's anyone including
commercial developers use and contribute to your project. Gpl largely
restricts your project to educational use. Your main contributors are likely
weekend hobbyists.

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belorn
The only thing software is good for is to make it proprietary and prevent
people from sharing or modifying it. otherwise it useless for anything beyond
weekend hobbyists. /sarcasm

Seriously, why do some people have such a hard time with this. The license
prevents you from exploiting people with software you did not create. Is that
such a big problem for you that you got to complain on HN about it?

I use software everyday without needing to exploit someone else in order to
find them useful. I don't need to take anything away from someone else in
order to be happy. Why can't you?

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ASneakyFox
How is bsd exploiting people?

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belorn
Reread my comment. There is nothing about BSD exploiting people. If that
doesn't help, have someone read it aloud for you.

If your only wish is to release source code, then neither GPL or BSD will ever
prevent you from doing so. Take GPL, or BSD, or a combination of them two.
Modify if you wish. Release code and everyone is happy. Your own contribution
can be of either license, and you have freedom to choose as you like.

However, your wishes are not to write and release source code, but to take
someone else software and add proprietary license to it in order to prevent
others from sharing or modifying the program. If your goal was only to write
and release source code, we would not have this conversation.

It is also why you are complain on HN about it. It is so lucrative idea to
restrict sharing and modification of a program, that people will say and do
anything they can in order to do so. That is the goal when saying "don't use
gpl, use bsd".

I say, use either. I can use code under either because I don't intend to
prevent anyone from sharing or modifying the program.

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ASneakyFox
I write and release open source code. I also write and release closed source
code. Gpl takes that choice away. Us bsd developers use this license so we can
work together to improve our individual end projects through sharing our
knowledge and time with each other. I am very regularly contributing to open
source projects that I use. For the benefit of other developers and for the
benefit of myself (its more convenient for a bug fix or new feature to be
pushed upstream so I don't have to recode my changes)

~~~
belorn
If you write and release open source code, the license will have no impact on
your ability to do so. You can write and release your contributions as BSD,
and include others BSD or GPL licensed code. You can write and release your
contributions as GPL, and include others BSD and GPL licensed code. If your
intention is to release source code and share your knowledge and time with
others, the license is not going to effect you.

If your intention is add restrictions on other peoples work, then you are
taking away the choice from others who want to read and modify the work. This
won't benefit other developers, nor will it share knowledge or contribute to
developers projects. Making it closed source closes any sharing, modification
and redistributing of the work.

You demand to have the choice to take away choices from people. I choose to
have the choice to take away the choice of taking away choices from others.
That is my choice, and you are not allowed to restricting me from having it.

If you don't take away the choice, I won't either. My usage of GPL is only
needed for as long others want to make proprietary software and remove choices
from people.

~~~
ASneakyFox
Your mistaken. Gpl restrictions prevent me from using it in bsd projects. Bsd
code can be used in gpl projects. But gpl restrictions prevent the other way
around.

