[dundee] Questions about a "Source Code License Agreement"

[Rick Moynihan]

Comments below:

2009/8/5 Dan Bolser <dan.bolser at gmail.com>:
> 2009/8/4 gordon dunlop <astrozubenel at googlemail.com>:
>>
>>
>> 2009/8/4 Dan Bolser <dan.bolser at gmail.com>
>>>
>>> Hi,
>>>
>>> I have been sent a "Source Code License Agreement"
>>
>> First of all find out the type of license it is issued under as there are
>> many types with differing conditions:
>>
>> http://www.gnu.org/licenses/license-list.html#SoftwareLicenses
>
> In particular I read:
>
>    There is no way we could list all the known non-free software
> licenses here; after all, every proprietary software company has its
> own.
>
>
> and:
>
>    Of course, we urge you to avoid using non-free software licenses,
> and to avoid non-free software in general.
>
>
> but of course none of that helps.
>
> The license has gone to a lawyer, but they will either say 'OK' or 'no
> way', according to the rules and regulations governing my employment
> here. However, what I want to get is some general impression of how
> restrictive you think the license is, and weather you think I should
> not be signing it on principle. Also, given that the company in
> question has no current aspiration to market their software
> commercially (allegedly), I'd like to know if I could reasonably ask
> them to GPL or dual license the code, for example. I appreciate it may
> be asking a lot, but I just figured somebody on the list would have an
> eye for these things.
>
> Thanks for the above pointers,
>
> Dan.

Pragmatically I suppose you have to ask, what is it you want from the
software and its source code.  It's only based upon your requirements
and expectations (which we've not yet discussed) that you can assess
whether it's too restrictive or not.

Obviously there is always potential for a trojan agreement; but I
guess that's why you're paying a lawyer.

R.