For SPDX 2.3 I don't object to Gary and Alexios proceeding rapidly to close
the issue using the currently-proposed LicenseRef- syntax.  For SPDX 3.0 I
strongly believe a much simpler approach should be used.

*Problems that are In-scope:* 1, 4, 5b

*Problem #4* is easily solved with a *Unified License List*: the union of
license identifiers contained in the set of recognized license lists:
"Apache-2.0" is contained in the SPDX license list after SPDX's
comprehensive legal vetting process.  "abrms" is contained in the ScanCode
license list after their vetting process registers licenses found in code,
even silly ones such as
https://scancode-licensedb.aboutcode.org/abrms.LICENSE.  The radical
difference in vetting requirements is irrelevant to the technical
requirement to "efficiently reference licenses" by linking a unique
identifier to a license text.  Both Apache-2.0 and abrms appear on the
unified list and can be used in SPDX files, CDX files, and any other files
that use license identifiers. Apache-2.0 is accepted by both spdx and
scancode, abrms is accepted only by scancode.

*Problem #5(b)* is solved when two or more organizations agree on a list of
recognized namespaces:


*spdx: https://spdx.org/licenses/
<https://spdx.org/licenses/>**scancode:
https://scancode-licensedb.aboutcode.org/
<https://scancode-licensedb.aboutcode.org/>*


The policy considerations for SPDX to recognize a scancode namespace must
be resolved in order to implement the LicenseRef- solution.  The identical
considerations apply to the unified license list.  There is no 5(a) public
relations requirement to "promote" other license lists; they just have to
appear on the "recognized" list.

*Problem #1* applies to licenses that do not appear on any recognized
license list. A LicenseRef- that points to the text of a non-listed license
is the appropriate solution to that problem.

Regards,
Dave


*License namespace problem statement:*

1. Unable to reference or locate LicenseRef text where the reference is in
one SPDX document and the text is outside that document.
2. Unable to reference or locate text for non-listed licenses when used in
license expressions within source files
3. Unable to reference or locate text for non-listed licenses when license
expressions are used in package manager meta-data files
4. Ability to efficiently reference common licenses which are not on the
SPDX License List, including those which do not meet the SPDX license
inclusion principles Reworded: Should we have a way to efficiently
reference common licenses which are not on the SPDX License List,
regardless of context (e.g. not specific to source code / Documents /
package managers)
5. Ability to advertise the availability of license lists other than the
SPDX license list
5(a): Ability to **promote** license lists other than the SPDX license list
in a similar fashion to how we promote tools that support the SPDX standard
5(b): Ability to **locate/find** license lists other than the SPDX license
list



Well-known/registered namespaces:
  spdx:  https://spdx.org/licenses/
  scancode: https://scancode-licensedb.aboutcode.org/


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