http://www.perlmonks.org?node_id=379365


in reply to •Re: OO concepts and relational databases
in thread OO concepts and relational databases

Out of curiosity, what did you think about the license of OOPS? While I can understand the author's intent, the license is a bit, er, cumbersome. Actually, let me be blunt: the license is bloody awful and there is simply no way I would ever use that software. For example, why are "Internet Journals" excluded from the license? Does that mean they don't have to abide by it or does it mean that author doesn't want them using the code? Also, I can't use it if I've applied for a software patent, unless such application is a "defensive move." Well fine. I'll simply announce that all of patents (if I had any) are "defensive moves."

And while we're at it, what's this bit about "Entities that share a 5% or more common ownership interest with an excluded entity are also excluded from this license." So if I own a mutual fund and the fund manager temporarily bumps me over the threshhold I'm not allowed to use the code? Or does "excluded from the license" mean I don't have to abide by it?

One of the core principles of economics (something that many economists seem to forget) is that there is a tradeoff between efficiency and fairness. Trying to go too far to either extreme tends to be a bad idea. In this case, while I laud the author's intent, the implementation of the license is terrible and, I'm sure, unenforceable. However, it's bizarre and restrictive enough that I simply can't use that code.

Cheers,
Ovid

New address of my CGI Course.