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I’d like to see a “no jerks” license. It’d be MIT by default, but call out specific bad actors as being disallowed from using the software. That way your averag

by rbren 1y ago

I’d like to see a “no jerks” license. It’d be MIT by default, but call out specific bad actors as being disallowed from using the software. That way your average corporate user wouldn’t need to consult a lawyer before adopting

rs186 1y ago
It will be as useless in terms of enforcement as "shall be used for good, not evil." https://www.json.org/license.html https://www.json.org/license.html
- gpm 1y ago
  I think they're suggesting a license that says "except Apple, Amazon, Google, Huawei, ..." not a license that literally says "no jerks". The problem of attempting to enumerate the jerks does seem pretty... insurmountable... to me though.
  - jraph 1y ago
    Yeah, and even if you like the idea, this is not dependable. How do you know, as a user, that you'll not end up in the jerk list tomorrow?
    - gpm 1y ago
      Presumably the license would, like practically all open source licenses, be irrevocable. You aren't guaranteed new versions will be issued under the same license (short of a contract saying otherwise, just like every other piece of open source software) but the existing license that did not list you as a jerk can't be revoked...
      - jraph 1y ago
        True, but that's still a risk that adds to the risk of the authors switching the license. BTW, if the jerk list is tied to the license, if the project had external contributors, they all need to agree to add or remove someone from the list, like any license change…
        gpm 1y ago
        > BTW, if the jerk list is tied to the license, if the project had external contributors, they all need to agree to add [...] someone from the list, like any license change… Not if you base this off a license like MIT that allows sublicensing under more restrictive terms (not a lawyer, not legal advice)
        jen20 1y ago
        Untrue - all that needs to happen is that future work needs to be released with the new list attached.
- andrewshadura 1y ago
  This software shall not be used for evil. With the exception of IBM, who, together with their partners and minions, are allowed to use this software for evil.

by rbren 1y ago

rs186 1y ago

It will be as useless in terms of enforcement as "shall be used for good, not evil." https://www.json.org/license.html https://www.json.org/license.html

gpm 1y ago
I think they're suggesting a license that says "except Apple, Amazon, Google, Huawei, ..." not a license that literally says "no jerks". The problem of attempting to enumerate the jerks does seem pretty... insurmountable... to me though.
- jraph 1y ago
  Yeah, and even if you like the idea, this is not dependable. How do you know, as a user, that you'll not end up in the jerk list tomorrow?
  - gpm 1y ago
    Presumably the license would, like practically all open source licenses, be irrevocable. You aren't guaranteed new versions will be issued under the same license (short of a contract saying otherwise, just like every other piece of open source software) but the existing license that did not list you as a jerk can't be revoked...
    - jraph 1y ago
      True, but that's still a risk that adds to the risk of the authors switching the license. BTW, if the jerk list is tied to the license, if the project had external contributors, they all need to agree to add or remove someone from the list, like any license change…
      - gpm 1y ago
        > BTW, if the jerk list is tied to the license, if the project had external contributors, they all need to agree to add [...] someone from the list, like any license change… Not if you base this off a license like MIT that allows sublicensing under more restrictive terms (not a lawyer, not legal advice)
      - jen20 1y ago
        Untrue - all that needs to happen is that future work needs to be released with the new list attached.
andrewshadura 1y ago
This software shall not be used for evil. With the exception of IBM, who, together with their partners and minions, are allowed to use this software for evil.