Comments for A Different Software License

A Different Software License

2007-11-09T17:31:23Z

WordWeb, a dictionary and thesaurus program for Windows, has a startling and interesting clause in its licensing terms:

You may use the program free of charge indefinitely only if
* You take at most 4 flights (2 return flights) in any 12 month period
* AND you do not own or regularly drive an SUV (sports utility vehicle).

There was some tradition with shareware authors years ago of asking for things like postcards, and a lot of web software asks for links back, especially since the rise of PageRank. And I definitely recall little applications created by independent developers that were charity-ware, asking for donations to a cause. But this is the first time I've seen a software license specifically addressing climate change.

Comment from David Raynes on 2007-11-09

2007-11-09T18:32:21Z

It's a nice idea, though a little on the naive side, I'd say.

So the author would rather I make multiple trips with the sedan we own to ferry the boys anywhere (since the two of them *and* me cannot fit in there at the same time), or one trip with everybody in the small SUV we own (a Saturn Vue) that actually gets better milage then the sedan? I suppose we could get a minivan instead, but according to what I just looked up, the minivan we would consider would get worse milage than the SUV as well.

Perhaps instead of the 'SUV' moniker, an MPG restriction might be better, say anything that gets less than 20 MPG city, for example.

Comment from David Raynes on 2007-11-09

2007-11-09T18:59:19Z

Oh, and I would qualify when I was driving my dinky celica 80+ miles per day, five days per week, but I wouldn't qualify now while I'm telecommuting.

Comment from Yoz on 2007-11-09

2007-11-09T21:39:21Z

My favourite shareware license was Shonenware, used by the late Scott Lemmon for Proximitron.

Second-favourite: Sisterware, where you promise to introduce Unforgiven Organizer's author to your sister, if you have one.

Comment from Russell Nelson on 2007-11-10

2007-11-10T16:44:45Z

Well, THAT is a license that we would never approve as open source!

Comment from James B on 2007-11-10

2007-11-10T23:54:09Z

A similar license is the one for old versions of WarFTP, which allows all forms of personal and commercial use except by governments, which are forbidden to use the software at all because of the author's political beliefs. I always thought that was an interesting case...

Comment from Bob Aman on 2007-11-12

2007-11-12T21:28:06Z

Interesting. I probably can't use said software then, even though I make a habit of buying a TerraPass for each flight I take.

Comment from Su on 2007-11-13

2007-11-13T19:24:56Z

Cute, but I'll add some "mind your own damn business" on top of David's naivette. Aren't developers taking a big enough risk offering free-to-pay software without making the distinction something borderline silly, if well-intended?

(Also, wouldn't it be a pretty safe bet this would disqualify say, Al Gore?)

The WTFPL remains my favorite license yet.