David Johnson wrote: > Except that, as I understand it, copyright restrictions on public > performance do not apply to software. I already have the right to > publicly display the program.
OK, maybe my stretching of the term 'public display' is indeed too far-fetched (especially since it seems to have been defined in copyright law already). Here's a version of my proposed clause that uses wording similar to paragraph 2(d) of the AGPL: "If the Software is intended to interact with users through a computer network You must ensure that all users are also able to receive the complete Source Code of the Software by means of a medium custorarily used for software interchange, without any charge beyond the costs of data transfer, and present a prominent notice to the users explaining this." Contrary to the AGPL, this clause does not rely on a specific network protocol (HTTP) for source distribution. On the other hand, the proposed clause does imply that any web-service software licensed under this term _must_ present a prominent notice with instructions on how to receive the source code, whereas the AGPL only requires special measures to guarantee source distribution if the original Software also contained such a facility. I think the proposed clause would work well in a copyleft license structure to enforce source code distribution for software that is used to run web-services. But, as I said before: IANAL etc. :) Regards, Marc Rauw. -- license-discuss archive is at http://crynwr.com/cgi-bin/ezmlm-cgi?3
