Unlicense

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The Unlicense , usually also called The Unlicense , is a software license that, like CC-0 , is similar to the public domain. In contrast to this, the Unlicense is focused on source code. It first appeared on January 1, 2010 (public domain day). The unlicense corresponds to releasing the licensed project into the public domain; if this is not legally possible (such as in Germany), an alternative license is used, which effectively makes the project public domain. In 2015, two percent of all GitHub projects used the Unlicense.

history

On January 1, 2010, Arto Bendiken wrote his reasons why he prefers software in the public domain. Its main reason was the incompatibility between various licenses and compliance with them. On January 23, 2010, he wrote that the Unlicense is based on the SQLite license with the guarantee clause of the MIT license. Then he described the text of the license in detail.

License text

The license is the following: 

This is free and unencumbered software released into the public domain.

Anyone is free to copy, modify, publish, use, compile, sell, or
distribute this software, either in source code form or as a compiled
binary, for any purpose, commercial or non-commercial, and by any
means.

In jurisdictions that recognize copyright laws, the author or authors
of this software dedicate any and all copyright interest in the
software to the public domain. We make this dedication for the benefit
of the public at large and to the detriment of our heirs and
successors. We intend this dedication to be an overt act of
relinquishment in perpetuity of all present and future rights to this
software under copyright law.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND,
EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF
MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT.
IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR
OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE,
ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR
OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.

For more information, please refer to <http://unlicense.org/>

reception

The Free Software Foundation says that the license is compatible with the GPL , but that CC-0 should be used. Fedora agreed with the FSF's decision on the grounds that it contained a legally formal text.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Open source license usage on GitHub.com. In: The GitHub Blog. March 10, 2015, Retrieved April 2, 2020 (American English).
  2. ↑ Arto Bendiken: Set Your Code Free. January 1, 2010, accessed April 2, 2020 (American English).
  3. ↑ Arto Bendiken: Dissecting the Unlicense: Software Freedom in Four Clauses and a link. January 23, 2010, accessed April 2, 2020 (American English).
  4. ^ Unlicense.org »Unlicense Yourself: Set Your Code Free. Retrieved April 2, 2020 .
  5. ↑ gnu.org. Retrieved April 2, 2020 .
  6. ↑ Licensing / Unlicense - Fedora Project Wiki. Retrieved April 2, 2020 .