Non-copyleft license and reciprocality [LWN.net]

Non-copyleft license and reciprocality

Posted Mar 30, 2006 22:30 UTC (Thu) by bignose (subscriber, #40)
In reply to: Theo de Raadt on OpenSSH security flaws by jmtapio
Parent article: Interview: Theo de Raadt of OpenBSD (NewsForge)

> I thought the point with the BSD license was supposed to be that it does
> not require corporations to give back to the community.

Yes. The licensor decides not to use copyright to enforce "share and share alike". This doesn't mean the licensor does not desire that behaviour, only that they choose not to use copyright law as a tool to enforce it.

Many people feel much better about social obligation if it isn't strong-armed by legal obligation. It also allows those who choose to behave well in the absence of legal obligation to be demonstrably better citizens by comparison with those who choose not to.

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