

Ask HN: Would you use this for LICENSE? - draq

This code, my friend, is as free as your breath of air.<p>Give me credit, if through it you gain wealth and fame.<p>Yet if causes you trouble, I won't take the blame.<p>Don't be evil, but create what is good and fair.
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mooism2
If I was considering whether to incorporate code covered by this license into
my project, I would have to reject it based on the license. So it would be
hypocritical for me to release code under this license.

Line 2 is vague: how much wealth? How much fame? And how much credit?

Line 4 is also vague: what is "evil"? What is "good and fair"? Is a
pharmaceutical website "good and fair" (they save people's lives!) or "evil"
(they put profit above saving people's lives!)?

If I need to ask a lawyer just to find out whether I can use some code... I
won't ask the lawyer, I just won't use the code.

~~~
ScottWhigham
"If I need to ask a lawyer just to find out whether I can use some code... I
won't ask the lawyer, I just won't use the code."

Well said. I think the license is a good "spirit of the agreement" breakdown
but it falls flat when it comes to expressly defining what is/isn't,
must/mustn't, etc.

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mnicky
if the line "Don't be evil, but create what is good and fair." implies that
the code should not be used for creating malicious things, than this is not a
free license. See also problems with JSON license:
<http://tanguy.ortolo.eu/blog/article46/json-license>

~~~
draq
It is indeed a contradiction.

However - as an unrelated point - wouldn't "unfree" licenses be better (given
the theoretical case we can decide with some certainty what is good or evil)?

~~~
mnicky
Who knows? But the problem of licenses is inherently practical, so no
theoretical cases apply :)

~~~
draq
Ha, you have evaded my trick question well.

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wtracy
Nope. "I won't take the blame" still doesn't indemnify me against damages.

"what is good and fair" has no legal definition in any jurisdiction that I
know of, which would scare away any lawyer with half a brain.

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OafTobark
No, not enough clarity.

