1 / 17

Legal issues of open source licenses

Legal issues of open source licenses. Matthias Van hoogenbemt ICRI – K.U.Leuven - IBBT. Overview. IPR and software Software Directive Other methodes of protection Open source licenses Background Risks Licenses: pro and contra. IPR and Software. Software Directive (91/250/EEC)

dori
Download Presentation

Legal issues of open source licenses

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Legal issues of open source licenses Matthias Van hoogenbemt ICRI – K.U.Leuven - IBBT

  2. Overview • IPR and software • Software Directive • Other methodes of protection • Open source licenses • Background • Risks • Licenses: pro and contra

  3. IPR and Software • Software Directive (91/250/EEC) • Object and conditions? • Who is an author? • Beneficiaries of protection? • Rights?

  4. Software Directive (1) • Object? • No definition • Preparatory design material • Algorithms, routines, code • Literary works • Conditions? • The author’s own intellectual creation

  5. Software Directive (2) • Who is an author? • Natural person • Joint authorship • Joint works • Collective works • Employee

  6. Software Directive (3) • Beneficiaries of protection • Rights • Reproduction • Distribution • Translation, adaptation, arrangement, alteration

  7. Software Directive (4) • Exceptions • Error correction • Back-up copies • Observation, study and testing • Decompilation? • Remedies • Extent • Conclusions

  8. Other mechanisms • Patent protection • EU vs USA • Competition Law • Contract Law

  9. Overview • IPR and software • Software Directive • Other methods of protection • Open source licenses • Background • Risks • Licenses: pro and contra

  10. Open Source Licenses (1) • Background • Free vs. Open source software • Risks • Consequences

  11. Open Source Licenses (2)GPL Advantages • Use, copying,… is free • Use does not require permission • ‘intelligent’ disclaimer • (v3) 30 days Disadvantages • Copyleft: ‘viral’ • (v3) TiVo clause • (v3) New terms • v2 and v3 not compatible

  12. Open Source Licenses (3)MPL Advantages • Legally sound • Disclaimer of warranty • Limitation of liability • Less ‘viral’ • Distribution • Modification • 30 days Disadvantages • Copyleft: modifications

  13. Open Source Licenses (4)LGPL Advantages • Less obligations • Less ‘viral’ • Suitable for libraries Disadvantages • Very technical license • Use not encouraged by GNU project

  14. Advantages Almost no obligations Notice Source does not have to be distributed Compatible with other OS licenses Open Source Licenses (5)BSD • Disadvantages • No copyleft • Disclaimer

  15. Advantages Almost no obligations Trademark protection Source does not have to be distributed Compatible with other OS licenses Open Source Licenses (6)Apache • Disadvantages • No copyleft

  16. Conlusions • Advantages • Intention will determine the choice • Use vs. Development • Use caution

  17. Questions? Matthias Van hoogenbemt ICRI – K.U.Leuven – IBBT Sint-Michielsstraat 6 – 3000 Leuven Matthias.vanhoogenbemt@law.kuleuven.be

More Related