Well, "public domain" is the anti-thesis of GPL. It is certainly not "free" as the term is used in the GPL. The appropriate translation in most languages for "free" as used in the GPL is "swatantra". As we all know, "swatantrata" does not come "sowjanya".
I feel that the people making the grants have to decide (they have the right to dictate) and, preferably, insist, that the s/w should be released under the GPL. Otherwise, the grants are likely to be appropriated towards non-free uses later on.
Please clarify.
Frederick Noronha wrote:
Sarai/CSDS, a Delhi-based research network that realises the
potential of
Free/Open Source software, is offering a limited number of small
grants (in
three categories of under Rs 10,000; Rs 10-30,000; and Rs
30,000-60,000) for
those willing to write socially-useful programmes and put these out
in the
public domain.
Ownership of these programs will remain with its writer(s), under the GNU/GLP or similar suitable licence. But the coders will undertake
to widely
distribute and make available their work to those who desire to
use the
same, in the interest of promoting Free Software/Open Source in India.
If the intention is ensuring public benefit in the long term, it has to be the GPL. OSD compliance, and OSI certified licenses are, well, compromises. Guess that I can say that with some authority, for I have been watching the Free Vs. OSD debate for some time now. Whether it is the GPL or mere OSD compliance or both, make it clear in the terms of grant, otherwise, there would be problems in the future.
Regards, Mahesh T Pai.null
nullnull