Electronics > Open Source Hardware

Contributing code to open source SW while retaining a different license...

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westfw:
Suppose that I write some code (a small but significant subroutine) that I am willing to contribute to existing OSSW project using, say, GPL.
But suppose I'm not that fond of GPL myself, and want to make sure I retain the right to also distribute this code in MIT/BSD/etc OSSW, or in my own proprietary SW, without some OSSW-troll (like patent trolls, theoretically) being able to come along later and say "I found this identifiable segment of code in your binary - you are clearly using GPL'ed software without meeting the requirements of the GPL licenses ah hah!"

What are my options?

I suppose that there similar situations that might come up in OSHW, although "contributions" tend to be less common in HW.

ataradov:
If you own the copyright in a first place, then you are free to dual-license it at any point. Even if troll shows up, all you need to do is point out your name on the GPL piece of code.

This gets a bit questionable if project requires singing a CLA and does not identify contributors by name in the files.

jancumps:
if you keep the contribution separate and don’t ask the project to include it, you can do anything that’s alowed by their original license.

if you want your code/patch to be included in their codebase, you’ll have to convince them to also accept that license. If you submit a first patch with a different license - because you don’t like their choice -you will most likely be seen as someone who doesn’t work along nicely. My guess is that they will ask questions, you will reply that they made a bulshit shoice because [argument 1, argument 2] and that they should have made a better choice to begin with. The conversation becomes heated. You all end up as enimies. The patch is not accepted ...

That’s my prediction :)

ataradov:
The question is not about pushing your license on existing project.

You can have the same piece of code have two or more licenses. That's perfectly normal and happens at  times.

jancumps:

--- Quote from: ataradov on May 19, 2018, 07:58:00 am ---The question is not about pushing your license on existing project.

You can have the same piece of code have two or more licenses. That's perfectly normal and happens at  times.

--- End quote ---
yes, true.

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