
Ask HN: Why would you release your source code under a license like MIT of BSD? - traverseda
If I&#x27;m releasing something to the public I almost always pick a viral license from the GPL line. Mostly that&#x27;s the AGPL but sometimes it&#x27;s the LGPL.<p>Why would you want to release your source code under a non-viral open source license like MIT or BSD?
======
zzo38computer
For me, the reason is simplicity, although I prefer public domain.

------
JohnFen
I think it depends on who your "target market" is. Non-viral licenses make
sense if you want companies to use it.

I've never released my work under MIT or BSD. I release about half of my work
into the public domain, about a quarter of it under a GPL variant, and a
quarter of it remains under a more conventional commercial license.

------
em10fan
If you want people to use it.

Companies are not that keen on GPL in any form.

~~~
traverseda
I guess my question is why would you want companies to be able to use it for
free? Why not release under a viral license with a commercial license also
available?

Why is a large company using your MIT licensed code a good thing? Do you
expect to eventually get paid for that work, or get recognition, or what?

~~~
em10fan
> I guess my question is why would you want companies to be able to use it for
> free? Why not release under a viral license with a commercial license also
> available?

The amount of hassle it takes in most companies to licence software from a
third party vendor is so immense that generally they will spend far more in
$$$s to write it themselves instead.

Your average small hobby project or helper library isn't going to every make
you any money that way, only something which is both very large/complex, and
very desirable, would.

> Why is a large company using your MIT licensed code a good thing? Do you
> expect to eventually get paid for that work, or get recognition, or what?

It looks good on your CV and might get you a job there.

~~~
JohnFen
> The amount of hassle it takes in most companies to licence software from a
> third party vendor is so immense

Yes, for very large corporations. But smaller companies don't have such a
large problem with this (and most companies are on the smaller side).

