diff --git a/episodes/11-licensing.md b/episodes/11-licensing.md index b2a872971..351f259f9 100644 --- a/episodes/11-licensing.md +++ b/episodes/11-licensing.md @@ -1,105 +1,99 @@ ---- -title: Licensing -teaching: 5 -exercises: 0 ---- - -::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: objectives - -- Explain why adding licensing information to a repository is important. -- Choose a proper license. -- Explain differences in licensing and social expectations. - -:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: - -:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: questions - -- What licensing information should I include with my work? - -:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: - -When a repository with source code, a manuscript or other creative -works becomes public, it should include a file `LICENSE` or -`LICENSE.txt` in the base directory of the repository that clearly -states under which license the content is being made available. This -is because creative works are automatically eligible for intellectual -property (and thus copyright) protection. Reusing creative works -without a license is dangerous, because the copyright holders could -sue you for copyright infringement. - -A license solves this problem by granting rights to others (the -licensees) that they would otherwise not have. What rights are being -granted under which conditions differs, often only slightly, from one -license to another. In practice, a few licenses are by far the most -popular, and [choosealicense.com](https://choosealicense.com/) will -help you find a common license that suits your needs. Important -considerations include: - -- Whether you want to address patent rights. -- Whether you require people distributing derivative works to also - distribute their source code. -- Whether the content you are licensing is source code. -- Whether you want to license the code at all. - -Choosing a license that is in common use makes life easier for -contributors and users, because they are more likely to already be -familiar with the license and don't have to wade through a bunch of -jargon to decide if they're ok with it. The [Open Source -Initiative](https://opensource.org/licenses) and [Free Software -Foundation](https://www.gnu.org/licenses/license-list.html) both -maintain lists of licenses which are good choices. - -[This article][software-licensing] provides an excellent overview of -licensing and licensing options from the perspective of scientists who -also write code. - -At the end of the day what matters is that there is a clear statement -as to what the license is. Also, the license is best chosen from the -get-go, even if for a repository that is not public. Pushing off the -decision only makes it more complicated later, because each time a new -collaborator starts contributing, they, too, hold copyright and will -thus need to be asked for approval once a license is chosen. - -::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: challenge - -## Can I Use Open License? - -Find out whether you are allowed to apply an open license to your software. -Can you do this unilaterally, -or do you need permission from someone in your institution? -If so, who? - - -:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: - -::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: challenge - -## What licenses have I already accepted? - -Many of the software tools we use on a daily basis (including in this workshop) are -released as open-source software. Pick a project on GitHub from the list below, or -one of your own choosing. Find its license (usually in a file called `LICENSE` or -`COPYING`) and talk about how it restricts your use of the software. Is it one of -the licenses discussed in this session? How is it different? - -- [Git](https://github.com/git/git), the source-code management tool -- [CPython](https://github.com/python/cpython), the standard implementation of the Python language -- [Jupyter](https://github.com/jupyter), the project behind the web-based Python notebooks we'll be using -- [EtherPad](https://github.com/ether/etherpad-lite), a real-time collaborative editor - - -:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: - -[software-licensing]: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1002598 - - -:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: keypoints - -- The `LICENSE`, `LICENSE.md`, or `LICENSE.txt` file is often used in a repository to indicate how the contents of the repo may be used by others. -- People who incorporate General Public License (GPL'd) software into their own software must make the derived software also open under the GPL license if they decide to share it; most other open licenses do not require this. -- The Creative Commons family of licenses allow people to mix and match requirements and restrictions on attribution, creation of derivative works, further sharing, and commercialization. -- People who are not lawyers should not try to write licenses from scratch. - -:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: - - +--- +title: Licensing +teaching: 5 +exercises: 0 +--- + +::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: objectives + +- Explain why adding licensing information to a repository is important. +- Choose a proper license. +- Explain differences in licensing and social expectations. + +:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: + +:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: questions + +- What licensing information should I include with my work? + +:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: + +As an open source project, Software Carpentry relies on volunteers to create our lessons and includes a file named `LICENSE` or `LICENSE.txt` file in all public lesson repositories. This file is used to specify that all materials are freely available under the Creative Commons Attribution license. Without a file that clearly states under which license any public source code, manuscript or other creative works is being made available, the default copyright laws apply. To learn more about licensing and open source, you can read more about [Github's description of licenses] and the [legal grounds for open source licensing]. + +A license solves this problem by granting rights to others (the +licensees) that they would otherwise not have. What rights are being +granted under which conditions differs, often only slightly, from one +license to another. In practice, a few licenses are by far the most +popular, and [choosealicense.com](https://choosealicense.com/) will +help you find a common license that suits your needs. Important +considerations include: + +- Whether you want to address patent rights. +- Whether you require people distributing derivative works to also + distribute their source code. +- Whether the content you are licensing is source code. +- Whether you want to license the code at all. + +Choosing a license that is in common use makes life easier for +contributors and users, because they are more likely to already be +familiar with the license and don't have to wade through a bunch of +jargon to decide if they're ok with it. The [Open Source +Initiative](https://opensource.org/licenses) and [Free Software +Foundation](https://www.gnu.org/licenses/license-list.html) both +maintain lists of licenses which are good choices. + +[This article][software-licensing] provides an excellent overview of +licensing and licensing options from the perspective of scientists who +also write code. + +At the end of the day what matters is that there is a clear statement +as to what the license is. Also, the license is best chosen from the +get-go, even if for a repository that is not public. Pushing off the +decision only makes it more complicated later, because each time a new +collaborator starts contributing, they, too, hold copyright and will +thus need to be asked for approval once a license is chosen. + +::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: challenge + +## Can I Use Open License? + +Find out whether you are allowed to apply an open license to your software. +Can you do this unilaterally, +or do you need permission from someone in your institution? +If so, who? + + +:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: + +::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: challenge + +## What licenses have I already accepted? + +Many of the software tools we use on a daily basis (including in this workshop) are +released as open-source software. Pick a project on GitHub from the list below, or +one of your own choosing. Find its license (usually in a file called `LICENSE` or +`COPYING`) and talk about how it restricts your use of the software. Is it one of +the licenses discussed in this session? How is it different? + +- [Git](https://github.com/git/git), the source-code management tool +- [CPython](https://github.com/python/cpython), the standard implementation of the Python language +- [Jupyter](https://github.com/jupyter), the project behind the web-based Python notebooks we'll be using +- [EtherPad](https://github.com/ether/etherpad-lite), a real-time collaborative editor + + +:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: + +[software-licensing]: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1002598 +[Github's description of licenses]: https://docs.github.com/en/repositories/managing-your-repositorys-settings-and-features/customizing-your-repository/licensing-a-repository +[legal grounds for open source licensing]: https://opensource.guide/legal/#are-public-github-projects-open-source + +:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: keypoints + +- The `LICENSE`, `LICENSE.md`, or `LICENSE.txt` file is often used in a repository to indicate how the contents of the repo may be used by others. +- People who incorporate General Public License (GPL'd) software into their own software must make the derived software also open under the GPL license if they decide to share it; most other open licenses do not require this. +- The Creative Commons family of licenses allow people to mix and match requirements and restrictions on attribution, creation of derivative works, further sharing, and commercialization. +- People who are not lawyers should not try to write licenses from scratch. + +:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: + +