Week 6 -- Open Source Software Licenses & Creative Commons

Course Overview

This module will provide an introduction and overview of open source software licenses and Creative Commons. We will discuss the basics of copyright law, the implications of using open source software, and the various types of open source licenses. We will look at some real-world examples to explore how these licenses are used and discuss the differences between Creative Commons licenses and traditional open source software licenses. Finally, we will look at some practical considerations for using open source software in a business setting.

Outline

  1. Introduction to Open Source Software Licenses & Creative Commons - This module will provide an overview of open source software licenses and Creative Commons licenses. It will cover the different types of open source software licenses, the benefits of using open source software, and the different types of Creative Commons licenses.

  2. Open Source Software Licenses - This module will provide an in-depth look at open source software licenses. It will cover the different types of open source software licenses, the benefits of using open source software, and the different types of Creative Commons licenses. Open source software licenses are licenses that allow users to use, modify, and distribute the software freely. There are different types of open source software licenses, such as the GNU General Public License (GPL), the Apache License, and the MIT License. Each license has its own terms and conditions, so it’s important to read and understand them before using the software.

    The General Public License (GPL) is a widely used free software license that was first introduced by Richard Stallman of the Free Software Foundation (FSF) in 1989. The GPL is also known as a copyleft license, which means that any derivative work or modification of the original software must also be licensed under the same terms and conditions as the original work.

    The Apache License is a permissive open-source software license that allows users to use, modify, and distribute the licensed software for any purpose, commercial or non-commercial, without having to pay royalties or other fees.

    The MIT License is a permissive open-source license that allows users to modify, distribute, and use software for any purpose without restriction. The license was created by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and has become one of the most popular licenses used for open-source software. The MIT License is often considered a "business-friendly" license because it allows companies and organizations to use the software without having to release any changes or modifications they make to the code.

  3. Creative Commons Licenses - We will take a look at different types of Creative Commons licenses. We will discuss the benefits of using Creative Commons licenses, and how to choose the right Creative Commons license for your work. Creative Commons licenses are a type of license that allows creators to share their work with others while retaining some of their rights. There are different types of Creative Commons licenses, such as the Attribution (CC BY), Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA), and Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs (CC BY-NC-ND) licenses. Each license has its own terms and conditions.

    Attribution (CC BY): This license allows others to distribute, remix, tweak, and build upon your work, even commercially, as long as they credit you for the original creation. This is the most accommodating of the licenses offered.

    Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA): This license allows others to remix, tweak, and build upon your work, even for commercial purposes, as long as they credit you and license their new creations under the identical terms. This license is often compared to “copyleft” free and open source software licenses.

    Attribution-NoDerivs (CC BY-ND): This license allows for redistribution, commercial and non-commercial, as long as it is passed along unchanged and in whole, with credit to you.

    Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC): This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon your work non-commercially, and although their new works must also acknowledge you and be non-commercial, they don’t have to license their derivative works on the same terms.

    Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (CC BY-NC-SA): This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon your work non-commercially, as long as they credit you and license their new creations under the identical terms. This license is often compared to “copyleft” free and open source software licenses.

    The Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 (BY-NC-ND) license is a type of Creative Commons license that allows others to share and use your work as long as they give you credit, do not use it for commercial purposes, and do not make any changes to it. This means that others can share your work online or in other formats, but they cannot sell it or make any profit from it without your permission. Additionally, they cannot modify or create derivative works based on your original work. This license is often used by artists and creators who want to protect their work while still allowing others to share and enjoy it. Finally, it is important to note that this license only applies to the original creator's work; any additional elements added by others are not covered by this license.

Issues

  1. Compliance: One of the most important issues with open source software licenses is compliance. Developers and companies must ensure that they are following the terms and conditions of the license, which may include sharing modifications, providing attribution, or making their own code available under the same license. Failure to comply can result in legal action or loss of rights to use the software.
  2. Compatibility: Another key issue with open source software licenses is compatibility. There are many different open source licenses with varying terms and conditions, and it can be difficult to ensure that different licenses can be used together without conflict. This can be particularly challenging for companies that use multiple open source projects in their products or services.
  3. Enforcement: Finally, enforcement of open source software licenses can be a challenging issue. Unlike proprietary software licenses, there is no central authority responsible for enforcing open source licenses. Instead, it is up to individual developers and companies to enforce the terms of the license through legal action or other means. This can be complicated by jurisdictional differences and varying interpretations of license terms by different parties.

Return to: S2 Intellectual Property Rights