OSI Seeks Open-Source License Reform

There have been recurring calls to simplify free and open source licensing over the last 3-4 years. There have been efforts to fix things so consumers of the software products won't be confused by the different licenses, some of which conflict, notably the General Public License (GPL). It conflicts with many, perhaps even most, of the other licenses.

There is reason to believe that this effort will do some genuine good, though no one believes it will fix the problem. The best result can be a gradual movement, fueled mostly by new projects, to more acceptable licenses. Progress, but not perfection, is the watchword here.

Jack