Open/Free Licenses (was: propose: `cypherpunks license' (Re: Wanted: Twofish source code))

[shap@eros.cis.upenn.edu]

Richard, Mark:

In the interests of world peace, I hope you will not take it amiss if
I remind both of you that your discussion is entirely hypothetical.
Two points that make it so.

1. The Copyright for the E language implementaiton is owned by
   Electronic Communities.  In consequence, Mark Miller does not have
   the *authority* to change the distribution terms even if he wants
   to.

2. Given that several releases have been made, the adoption of the
   MPL license for E cannot be undone.  The license for subsequent
   releases, of course, can be changed at the discretion of Electronic
   Communities.

That said, I would also appreciate a chance to hear Richard's views on
this, as I am about to make a similar licensing decision concerning
EROS.


Jonathan Shapiro