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What is the most restrictive software license?
GNU GPL
One of the most common restrictive licenses is the GNU GPL (General Public License). Its cousin, the AGPL (Affero General Public License), is also becoming more popular, as it closes the SaaS loophole found in the GPL.
What is a non commercial software license?
The NonCommercial (“NC”) element is found in three of the six CC licenses: BY-NC, BY-NC-SA, and BY-NC-ND. In each of these licenses, NonCommercial is expressly defined as follows: “NonCommercial means not primarily intended for or directed towards commercial advantage or monetary compensation.”
Can free software be used for commercial purposes?
Absolutely. All Open Source software can be used for commercial purpose; the Open Source Definition guarantees this. In particular, copyleft-style Open Source licenses require that, in at least some cases, when you distribute the software, you must do so under the same license you received it under.
What do you mean by non-commercial use?
Non-commercial means something is not primarily intended for, or directed towards, commercial advantage or monetary compensation by an individual or organisation. Your use of someone else’s work should not conflict with the legitimate interests of the creator of an artistic work.
Can you sell software under an open source license?
You can even sell Open Source software. However, note that commercial is not the same as proprietary. If you receive software under an Open Source license, you can always use that software for commercial purposes, but that doesn’t always mean you can place further restrictions on people who receive the software from you.
Can I restrict how people use an open source licensed program?
In particular, copyleft -style Open Source licenses require that, in at least some cases, when you distribute the software, you must do so under the same license you received it under. Can I restrict how people use an Open Source licensed program?
What happens if you don’t distribute open source software?
Distributing and Using Open Source Software. If you don’t distribute source code, then what you are distributing cannot meaningfully be called “Open Source”. And if you don’t distribute at all, then by definition you’re not distributing source code, so you’re not distributing anything Open Source.
When is an open source license not a copyleft license?
Most copyleft licenses are Open Source, but not all Open Source licenses are copyleft. When an Open Source license is not copyleft, that means software released under that license can be used as part of programs distributed under other licenses, including proprietary (non-open-source) licenses.