AGPL or Affero General Public License Version is a new License released by FSF. This is aimed at Web Applications.

The GNU GPL allows people to modify the software they receive, and share those modified versions with others, as long as they make source available to the recipients when they do so. However, a user can modify the software and run the modified version on a network server without releasing it. Since use of the server does not imply that people can download a copy of the program, this means the modifications may never be released. Many programmers choose to use the GNU GPL to cultivate community development; if many of the modifications developed by the programs users are never released, this can be discouraging for them. The GNU AGPL addresses their concerns. The FSF recommends that people consider using the GNU AGPL for any software which will commonly be run over a network. (Emphasis mine)

Say I used AGPL for Nexty. You decide that it is a nice program – so you download it and use it. Then you make some changes to the code. So far so good.

Then you decide that you can put the modified version on your web server. The visitors can use the modified version of nexty – that is, you are not ‘distributing’ the software. If I used GPL, you could have gotten away with it – but if I use AGPL, you have to publish the code you modified as well.

The end result is that the end user is in a lot of confusion about what they should do with respect to the license. If they are not lawyers, they will not be able to understand what the license says. I have opted to use the BSD license due to factors like this – BSD license basically gives you the right to do anything with it – except claim that you wrote it.

Related Links

• AGPL Release News
• AGPL Text
• GNU Affero GPL v3 Released

As you may know, I publish a lot of code for others to use. Often I forget to specify a license for the code – and I get a few comment asking me what license it is under. So I have created a license page for both Bin-Co and OpenJS. I hate restricting use of my code – so I choose the most permissive one around – the BSD License.

I know that many people feel strongly about software license. I still get a lot of flank from my LUG because I prefer using BSD License over their favorite GPL.

GPL was not an option as most of my code are snippets that are meant to be used with other code. GPL will not allow my code to be used within proprietary projects. Another option is LGPL – but I still prefer BSD.

Basically, all scripts, codes and programs from any of my sites are in the BSD License. That means that you can do anything with the scripts – except claim that you wrote it. You can use, copy, sell, modify or whatever you want with it – but you cannot claim authorship.

Importance of Choosing a License

If you are planning to release your code publicly, it is very important that you say what license you are using. If you fail to specify a license, many people will not use your code. It was a big mistake waiting this long before putting up a license on my sites.

If you want help in deciding the license, these links should be of help…

• A list of the most popular licenses
• Simon Willison’s Licensing Issue – read the comments
• Pick a License, Any License
• QuirksMode Copyright – an example of a license page

More Links

• The WTFPL License
• The problem with BSD Style License according to Richard M. Stallman
• Copyright Explained – not about code licenses – but a must read if you are new to all this.