Possible licenses

This page is to collect details on existing open source licenses that we might use.  Feel free to add info as you look into possible licenses.
Nothing on this page constitutes an official adoption of a license for any PARTS projects!

It looks like different licenses have different focuses, with some containing specific language to deal with software, some with hardware, and some that are more general.  It appears that we may end up with different licenses to cover different project domains.

Creative Commons

Based on copyright, so for hardware would only apply to the design documents and software, although CC does not recommend that CC licenses be applied to SW code.  CC does not contain language dealing with source or object code.  CC provides “wrapped” software licenses to take advantage of the CC human-readable document and machine-readable metadata, but does not alter the underlying SW license in any way (i.e. GNU GPL, GNU LGPL, BSD)

A CC license only affects your copyright — it does not deal with any trademark or patents rights on the work.

License variants

Attribution — No restrictions on what is done with your work, as long as you are credited in the way you request.  The licensee may not suggest in any way that you endorse them or their work.

Attribution share alike — No restrictions on what is done with your work, as long as you are credited in the way you request, and they license any derivatives under the same, similar or a compatible license.  This means all derivatives may be copied by others for commercial uses.          Any conditions can be waived with permission from the copyright holder.

Attribution no deratives — Allows copying of your work, even commercially, as long as the design remains unchanged and you are attributed.

Attribution non-commercial — Allows derivatives, but prohibits commerical use.  Attribution back to you.          Limits on commercial use can be waived, or can impose royalties on licensees.          Commerical limits only apply to others using your work — not to you.

Attribution non-commercial Share Alike

Attribution non-commercial no deravitives

GNU General Public License (GPL)

Based on copyrights.  Contains specific language to deal with software.

TAPR Open Hardware License

This is being used for some of the Portland State Aerospace Society’s work.

No restrictions on use of design
Modifications to design must be released under TAPR license, including the original design docs, a change list, and updated design docs.
No limitations on commercial use (there is a separate non-commercial version of the license for that.