Switch to GPL license?

I'm thinking to switch the license of BlogTrader Platform from BSD to GPL.

Making the license under GPL will encourage the contributors (include me) to release more source code to public, and means compatible to GPLed softwares that may be integrated into this project, such as: Sleepycat's Berkeley DB.

Of course, the source code that had been released will remain under BSD license, but I will not update it any more.

  • Posted: 2006-04-27 09:00 (Updated: 2009-12-30 12:03)
  • Author: dcaoyuan
  • Categories: AIOTrade

Comments

1. Matt Gundersen -- 2006-04-28 09:00

It might also help if you put the code into CVS or SubVersion? for others to work with.

It's hard to collaborate when it's not available in some type of source repository.

m.

2. -- 2006-04-28 09:00

Yes the frist thing to do is to have your code in CVS.

After you should ponder wether you want to put the GPL or LGPL.

Personnally, I prefer BSD license because it is really free (Apache license is also good) and because I fear the legal consecuences of using (L)GPL.

3. dcaoyuan -- 2006-04-28 09:00

The subversion repository of source code has been on sourceforge.net for somedays, to check out: svn co  https://svn.sourceforge.net/svnroot/humaitrader humaitrader

For the legal consecuences of using (L)GPL. I'm considering to apply some exceptions for custom indicators and drawings etc.And, if I stick on BSD, it will be difficult to integrate other GPLed code or libs in.

4. Markus -- 2006-04-29 09:00

Are there evidence that GPL increases contributions? My modest contributions to Open Source projects have all been to BSD och Apache licensed projects.

Sometimes I use libraries in personal projects and learn to like them. Then I want to use them at work too. If the project is using GPL that makes things difficult.

5. Norman Richards -- 2006-04-30 09:00

LGPL is a great license for projects, and it ensures that what you produce stays open source. BSD is also a fine license, but it allows people to make non-free versions of the software. You may or may not consider that to be a good thing. (I think it is a good thing, myself)

I'll also urge you to carefully investigate things yourself. Don't fall prey to fanatics who spread FUD about "the legal consequences" of licenses that don't follow their religion or to people who clearly can't differentiate LGPL from GPL in a discussion. It goes without saying that you shouldn't take this at face value either - do your own research and make an informed choice.

Good luck. No matter what you choose, more open source is a good thing!

6. Alexander -- 2006-04-30 09:00

i'm not sure that switching to GPL is a good thing.

For instance, there are some commercial technical analysis indicators, thus switching to GPL will automatically disable making money on this.

So, if you really want to make blogtrader to be used widely, you should not switch to GPL.

7. Norman Richards -- 2006-04-30 09:00

How will using the GPL "automatically disable making money on this"? That's ridiculous.

8. Mark -- 2006-04-30 09:00

I agree w/ the change to gpl. But like the 'classpath' project we'd need to allow non-gpl indicators/modules. On the data side, just have a non-gpl indicator read directly from the DB. ON the nUI side however you'd need to define a few exceptions so that a non-gpl indicator could draw on the screen.

As it stands right now. Once Blogtrader matures someone could incorporate the entire project into thier app and sell it as thier own.

Mark

9. Stefano -- 2006-05-01 09:00

I think switching to GPL and using svn could be the right step if you want other developers begin to write code for this project. But also it should be very important to improve the internal documentation. For example i'm making a simple drawing chart : i've copied and renamed a sample chart like ParallelChart?, copied and renamed HandledParallelChart?, added some lines to the xml layers file and with some coding i've my first handled drawing added to the toolbar. Unfortunatly without good documentation is very difficult to do some more complex things cause i have to go deep and deep reading the source code and this is time expensive :) I think that improving documentation is at the first place, then changing licence also is important to have more people works on this project.

10. Caoyuan -- 2006-05-05 09:00

Hi Matt,

I still need to think about the solution, especially how to apply the exceptions, for which part, whether a contributor agreement is neccesary etc.

If switch to GPL.

11. Caoyuan -- 2006-05-05 09:00

Hi Stefano,

The source code and APIs change rapidly, they are not stable enough for developers at this time.