Recent Policy & Governance

The days of endlessly grepping source code for license and copyright information may be coming to a close. If the new Software Package Data Exchange (SPDX) project becomes popular, such information will be commonly available in a standard format that can be read by developers and business executives alike. Currently in late beta, the first version of the SPDX specification is scheduled for release next month.

In Jacobsen v. Katzer, the Federal Circuit held that open source licenses are indeed licenses and not merely contracts. This is an important decision due to the remedies available under the Copyright Act versus contract law. But what do monetary damages under U.S. copyright law look like? More specifically, how much could an OSS license non-compliance action cost a company that loses such a suit?

The world has officially gone app crazy. Almost every leading brand creates apps for both iOS and Android devices, and those mobile apps are being built using open source components. OpenLogic’s research from September 2010 showed that over 88% of Android apps and 41% of iPhone/iPad apps contained some form of open source technology. But although open source components may be freely available, they do still come with a set of obligations that the users of the technology must follow.

Jilayne Lovejoy and Eric Weidner recently sat down for an informative discussion on practical tips for open source license compliance. In addition to the basics — why you should be concerned about complying with open source licenses — Jilayne and Eric also discussed key questions you should ask, best practices from a development standpoint, and building the right team to handle license compliance issues.

From the consumer point of view, Apple’s App Store is a really convenient way to acquire and manage software. Not only does it greatly simplify buying applications, but the App Store remembers what you’ve purchased and allows you to transfer all of the software to new devices. The concept has spread considerably, and is changing the way that many people think about getting software. Unfortunately, it also poses a considerable challenge for developers, projects, and companies that want to utilize reciprocal free software licenses.

How do open source audits work? You probably know what you’re looking for, and why, but the devil is in the details. Here’s how an open source audit works, what you can expect, and how to get best results.

No matter what industry your business is in, you’re almost certainly using open source software. The question is whether you know how you’re using open source, what licenses are in play, and whether you’re meeting all of your license requirements. If you can’t answer all of these questions — and most businesses can’t — you may want to perform an open source audit as a starting point.

The mobile market for applications is booming. Apple, Android, and many other mobile platforms are feeding a nearly insatiable demand for apps with developers struggling to keep up. Many developers are turning to open source, which can speed up development, but app developers and store owners need to be aware of the licensing responsibilities that come with distributing open source code.

Developers and IT staff love open source software, but when they try to use open source at work they often find that their manager, or their manager’s manager, has a lot of concerns. In this article we’ll outline strategies you can use to convince your manager to use open source software, along with tips on how to make those strategies effective.

Ready to take your open source policy and put it into practice? This article outlines practical tips based on real-world examples of effective open source governance in action. Don’t worry — we’ll guide you through the questions you’ll need to consider to create a governance process that aligns your organization’s culture, structure, and goals.