[Labs-l] Question: json license not free enough?

[Platonides]

On 28/05/13 23:37, Luis Villa wrote:
> [Background: the json license is neither OSI-open nor FSF-free, and
> never will be. So we would discourage using it on tool labs. Response to
> Silke inline.]
> 
> Free and open source licenses give freedom to the user of the software.
> The user of the software can then use that freedom however they want -
> including, of course, limiting their own use. So there is no
> contradiction here.
> 
> With regards to this specific license, and the widely-known story about
> IBM negotiating an exception: Negotiating exceptions to bad licenses is
> a bad idea, because it encourages people to use bad licenses - it means
> we pay the penalty for their bad choice, instead of them. We also have
> limited resources, and it is generally a better use of those resources
> to encourage the authors to switch to OSI-approved licenses, so that
> everyone, not just Wikimedia, can benefit and participate.
> 
> Hope that helps clarify-
> Luis

The original mail was about a user with javascript validators under json
license. He is not the © holder of jshint and jslink, just reusing them.
See
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User_talk:Rillke#Your_tools_on_the_toolserver

IMHO the exception would have to be added to labs terms of use, ‘buying
an evil license’ still wouldn't be enough.

We should try to get the tools relicensed under a free license. But if
that's unsuccessful, the "solution" left would be to have Johannes Kroll
rewrite them (ouch!), as part of the WMDE support for tool migration.