From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Fri May 8 15:43:24 2009 Return-Path: Delivered-To: questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 31BC1106564A for ; Fri, 8 May 2009 15:43:24 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from jerrymc@gizmo.acns.msu.edu) Received: from gizmo.acns.msu.edu (gizmo.acns.msu.edu [35.8.1.43]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id E72428FC1A for ; Fri, 8 May 2009 15:43:23 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from jerrymc@gizmo.acns.msu.edu) Received: from gizmo.acns.msu.edu (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by gizmo.acns.msu.edu (8.13.6/8.13.6) with ESMTP id n48FgSX2004290; Fri, 8 May 2009 11:42:28 -0400 (EDT) (envelope-from jerrymc@gizmo.acns.msu.edu) Received: (from jerrymc@localhost) by gizmo.acns.msu.edu (8.13.6/8.13.6/Submit) id n48FgS8D004289; Fri, 8 May 2009 11:42:28 -0400 (EDT) (envelope-from jerrymc) Date: Fri, 8 May 2009 11:42:28 -0400 From: Jerry McAllister To: Steve Bertrand Message-ID: <20090508154228.GA4202@gizmo.acns.msu.edu> References: <4A03BE9F.5050906@ibctech.ca> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline In-Reply-To: <4A03BE9F.5050906@ibctech.ca> User-Agent: Mutt/1.4.2.2i Cc: "questions@freebsd.org" Subject: Re: Licensing X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Fri, 08 May 2009 15:43:24 -0000 On Fri, May 08, 2009 at 01:09:51AM -0400, Steve Bertrand wrote: > I've got a question that is likely not suited for this list, but I know > that there are people here who can guide me off-list. > > Being a network engineer, I'm far from a developer. With that said, I've > written numerous network automation programs (mostly in Perl), and have > developed several small patches for software written in C related to ISP > operations (including the OS itself). > > I'm looking for advice on how I can take all of my code, and license it > into the public domain. I'm sure that most people won't have any > interest in it, but I really want to ensure that what I have done is > freely accessible. > > All of my code is pretty well separated into different files that > contain different functions, so isolating portions of my programs that > use modules or functions that are external is not a problem. > > GPL seems too verbose legally for me. Can the BSD license fit into any > code, no matter what language it is in, and if so, can I have my code > overlooked by someone who can verify that the BSD license will fit? The first thing to determine is if any other entity might hold some interest (ownership/copyright interest) in any of it. If you were employed by someone or some institution to do the work or the work was done during time paid by those entities, then they may have an interest. If that is not the case, then the next thing to determine is if any of it should be submitted to existing OSen or Utilities as patches - bug fixes or improvements. These two may not be a conflict as many businesses will have no problem with you submitting back fixes in software you are using in their behalf. eg, for example, if you are using FreeBSD to run a system for the business and write a patch for FreeBSD while on company time that helps that business operate better, they probably will have no problem with your submitting the patch for permanent inclusion in FreeBSD. As much as possible, then, submit PRs and include the diffs that cover the fixes or improvements. Finally, if you have complete clear ownership of some unique utilities, then include license terms in the source with a requirement that the license term be included in any subsequent distributions and then submit the utilitie as a port - if it is for FreeBSD. For a reasonable idea of how to compose license terms, check out the license terms for FreeBSD on the web site. I really don't know where to submit it if it is not for FreeBSD, although there are several sites that such as SourceForge that make themselves repositories for various usefull utilities. You'd have to check with them for how to go about submitting things and what is expected in the way of support, etc. Please include well documented source and clear statements as to what the utilities do and how to use them. Writing man pages and why-to as well as how-tos is important. You don't have to worry a whole lot Good luck, ////jerry > > Steve > > _______________________________________________ > freebsd-questions@freebsd.org mailing list > http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions > To unsubscribe, send any mail to "freebsd-questions-unsubscribe@freebsd.org"