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Software licensing under politically motivated terms is not entirely unreasonable and I think we should start doing it more. For instance, I totally disagree w

Software licensing under politically motivated terms is not entirely unreasonable and I think we should start doing it more. For instance, I totally disagree with the fact that open source software ends up powering weapons or are used as tools to repress and control people. GPL is one example of a socio-political cause enforced upon it's users. So why not use licensing for other socio-political causes ? My next open source library will definitely have clauses like: - Cannot be used for terrorist activities of any kind. May God strike you down if you do. - Cannot be used inside military apps. You agree to immediate capitulation the moment the first line of my code is executed inside a military appliance. - Cannot be used by certain political parties, governments, etc. I mean, it's nice to be nice to everyone, but fuck it. There're lots of assholes out there who's success is not in my interest or anyone else's interest, except a group of delusional leaders. I don't want to be a contributing factor to their success. Let them write their own software. So free software developers can and should get creative with this. I don't know a lot about this particular Notepad++ case, but I totally agree with what the author did - it's his choice after all.

fenomas 11y ago
He hasn't relicensed his software, has he? He just told certain people not to use it. They're not under any obligation to listen to him.
- Raed667 11y ago
  He is making a statement, not a legal procedure.
  - r-w 11y ago
    It wouldn’t be legally binding even if it were in the license.
    - mcphage 11y ago
      That's not really the point, though, so it doesn't matter.
dchest 11y ago
Remember that license is not something you just write and feel good about: with copyright laws, you are granting governments a permission to use violent force to enforce its terms. Make sure you really want to do this.
- codeshaman 11y ago
  True. Copyright laws are a sneaky backdoor which I can use to install my own political agenda. The government will be using the threat of violence to enforce my rules against violence. Muhaha :)
pella 11y ago
see JSLINT license ( https://github.com/douglascrockford/JSLint/blob/master/jslint.js https://github.com/douglascrockford/JSLint/blob/master/jslin... "The Software shall be used for Good, not Evil." ) Only one documented exceptions : Douglas Crockford “I give permission for IBM, its customers, partners, and minions, to use JSLint for evil.” http://dev.hasenj.org/post/3272592502/ibm-and-its-minions http://dev.hasenj.org/post/3272592502/ibm-and-its-minions More info - see HN archivum : JSLINT + EVIL https://hn.algolia.com/?query=jslint%20evil&sort=byPopularity&prefix=false&page=0&dateRange=all&type=all https://hn.algolia.com/?query=jslint%20evil&sort=byPopularit...
holigey 11y ago
Similarly Wordweb (free version) asks 'if the user has flown in last one year', if the user answers 'yes', I think wordweb stops working. It's their way of showing environmental concern.
jacquesm 11y ago
I'd like to draw your attention to this article: http://futurism.com/18922-2/ http://futurism.com/18922-2/

fenomas 11y ago

He hasn't relicensed his software, has he? He just told certain people not to use it. They're not under any obligation to listen to him.

Raed667 11y ago
He is making a statement, not a legal procedure.
- r-w 11y ago
  It wouldn’t be legally binding even if it were in the license.
  - mcphage 11y ago
    That's not really the point, though, so it doesn't matter.

dchest 11y ago

Remember that license is not something you just write and feel good about: with copyright laws, you are granting governments a permission to use violent force to enforce its terms. Make sure you really want to do this.

codeshaman 11y ago
True. Copyright laws are a sneaky backdoor which I can use to install my own political agenda. The government will be using the threat of violence to enforce my rules against violence. Muhaha :)

pella 11y ago

see JSLINT license ( https://github.com/douglascrockford/JSLint/blob/master/jslint.js https://github.com/douglascrockford/JSLint/blob/master/jslin... "The Software shall be used for Good, not Evil." ) Only one documented exceptions : Douglas Crockford “I give permission for IBM, its customers, partners, and minions, to use JSLint for evil.” http://dev.hasenj.org/post/3272592502/ibm-and-its-minions http://dev.hasenj.org/post/3272592502/ibm-and-its-minions More info - see HN archivum : JSLINT + EVIL https://hn.algolia.com/?query=jslint%20evil&sort=byPopularity&prefix=false&page=0&dateRange=all&type=all https://hn.algolia.com/?query=jslint%20evil&sort=byPopularit...

holigey 11y ago

Similarly Wordweb (free version) asks 'if the user has flown in last one year', if the user answers 'yes', I think wordweb stops working. It's their way of showing environmental concern.

jacquesm 11y ago

I'd like to draw your attention to this article: http://futurism.com/18922-2/ http://futurism.com/18922-2/