BSD License

Ruby 从下一个版本，也就是 1.9.3 开始，从原先的 GPLv2 许可证换成了 2-clause BSD 许可证（大体上相当于 MIT 许可证）。

早期 Ruby 采用的是自由软件基金会推荐的 GPLv2 or later 许可证方式。在实际操作中这种许可方式十分常见，这种许可证方式包含两层意思：

Murray老大在FreeBSD.org发的一则消息，说……Eric Raymond在巴西举行的FISL (Fórum Internacional de Software Livre，国际软件发布论坛)中提到，“Basically, we don’t need GPL. It’s based on the belief that open source software is weak and needs to be protected. With it, we continue injuring ourselves, cutting ourselves from the economic benefits of BSD license”(基本上，我们并不需要GPL。它是基于认为开源软件非常弱小因而需要保护而产生的。由于它(GPL)，我们在不断伤害我们自己，并将我们与BSD授权在经济上的优点割裂开来)。

I was asked to clarify the terms of use on this blog. Please note that I have created a licence at the time I created the blog itself: It’s creative commons licence, which is similiar to BSD licence. To simplify this, you can use my work here by agreeing to attribute the credit, and make no derivation, except you got my permission.

Under a more restrictive licence, the XFree86 project has finally released the long-awaited XFree86 4.4.0-RELEASE. Well, this is really a big news, however, the licence (Yes you guys may say that it is very similiar to the BSD Licence with four clause, however it is not, and more importantly, this is more like the ancient four clause one, which was replaced by a new three-caluse one, and most BSDers will prefer a two clause one like the following:

I was asked this question in many scenarios. Well, here’s the answer. This blob does not intend to have a compare between GPL and BSDL, which is extensively discussed in many places, and basically, GPLers and BSDers all have what the counterpart could not accept.