[liberationtech] Licensing Free Software for Liberation + Safety

[Joseph Lorenzo Hall]

Heya, congrats on being close to launch!

I don't see a way of doing what you talk of here that *isn't* simply a 
barrier (and a weak one) towards people who would do things with the 
code, good or bad. It did make me think for a while about it, but I 
don't have anything useful to say (or I'd say it on-list) other than 
it's a really interesting question. ::)

best, Joe

On Mon Feb 11 16:00:58 2013, Brian Conley wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> So as Small World News approaches the beta release of our forthcoming app,
> produced with Guardian Project, Free Press Unlimited, and Radio Free
> Asia,I'm digging through a variety of licenses and information about how
> best to license various items that make up the app, StoryMaker™(not to be
> confused with Story Maker from Blackberry).
>
> I believe fundamentally that any element of the *code* that is necessary to
> guarantee security/safety must be free & open (FLOSS) in order to guarantee
> this.
>
> What I find more difficult is whether releasing the original design
> elements, user interface construct, stylings, and trademarks in an open
> fashion will provide a similar guarantee of safety.
>
> Please make no mistake, I am not trying to suggest some sort of end-run
> around FLOSS principles, etc. What I am looking for is a reasoned dialogue
> about best practices for the FLOSS community to avoid tom-skype malware
> around FLOSS products.
>
> I'm sure there are much better solutions than not providing the design
> files or user-interface code via an open github repo. That said, even
> requiring requesters to contact the maintainer of the repo in order to
> receive the design elements would provide an interesting bit of user
> education around potential risks even possible for FLOSS products.
>
> thanks!
>
> Brian
>
>
>
>
>
>
> --
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--
Joseph Lorenzo Hall
Senior Staff Technologist
Center for Democracy & Technology
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