How to choose an open source software license for your project.

1. CHOOSING AN OPEN SOURCE LICENSE
The Apache License is a
permissive license, it
requires preservation of
copyright and disclaimer
notices, however allows
the user freedom with the
software, including an
explicit right to any
patents. The “State
Changes” clause means
that you have to include a
notice in each file that you
have modified.
The MIT License is a free
software license originating
at the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology
(MIT). It is a permissive free
software license: basically,
users can do whatever they
wish with the code, as long
as the original copyright and
the license text are included
in the file.
The GNU Lesser General
Public License (LGPL) is a
compromise between
copyleft and permissive
licenses. It allows users to
link to the original LGPL
software without being
required to release the
source code of their
proprietary software. Also,
users may modify and
distribute the software, but
they have to describe the
changes, provide the source
code and release them
under LGPL.
The GNU General Public
License (GPL) is a copyleft
software license, which
guarantees end users the
freedoms to use, study,
share (copy), and modify
the software as long as
they track changes/dates of
in source files and release
their code and any
modifications under GPL.
They can distribute their
application using a GPL
commercially, but they must
open-source it under the
same GPL license.
APACHE 2.0 MIT LGPLv3 GPLv3
What is
the best
license for
your
project?
You’ll need a
Permissive
license.
You’ll need a
Copyleft license.
How open
do you
want your
project?
I want to
share, but
others
should
share too.
I simply
want to put
my
software
out there.
Do you want
to enable
commercial
adoption?
Sure, but
others should
share by
opening their
code too.
Yes, my
code can be
used in
closed
source
applications.
What about
the patents
in your
code?
I keep the
rights to my
patents in my
code.
Anyone can
use the
patents in my
code.
Read more about some popular OSS licences. www.protecode.com