Linux  and Free Software :: licensing



First question, with all the different free/open source licenses out there which one does one choose for releasing original software?  It looks to me like pickiing the right license is more important to a programs long term success then it actualy working right!  Everything I have released in the past has been under an extremely restrictive license or none at all so I am still quite a n00b in the free software world.  Also how can I convert something to a free license without doing a complete rewrite?  For instance I wrote a database engine that wastes inexpensive system resorces to conserve the more expensive ones before SQL became popular.  Do I have to change the format of the database file and how much?  How much of the code do I have to change?  Do I have to rework my algorythm or can i just change the license on the next version?

Second, yesterdayusa.com is holding its annual fund raising auction the end of this month and I would like to contribute half a dozen copies of DSL to be auctioned off.  Are there any legal restrictions I or the station should be aware of or any specific wording that needs to be used?

from the Yesterday USA homepage:
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ABOUT THE YESTERDAY USA RADIO NETWORKS

Founded in 1983 as the official international voice of the National Museum Of Communications, Inc., a 501 © (3) non profit-tax exempt organization; the network is the brainchild of radio historian Bill Bragg. YUSA airs only old time radio shows 24 hours a day and utilizes an all volunteer staff of over 50 OTR professionals from across the US and Canada; including country music superstar Ronnie Milsap and Frank Bresee (the voice of “Little Beaver” on old time radio’s Red Ryder Program).

The Station gained national attention by being the first outlet to re-broadcast public domain OTR Programs via satellite! “We were also first on Cable Television and the first OTR Streaming Network on the Internet”, says Bragg. The Station can also be heard on numerous low-power AM & FM Radio Stations, Cellular and Dial-up Telephones, on the new iPods & iTunes systems and in over 2,000 Hospitals and Nursing Homes. Over 62 hours of unique programs are offered during each 2-week period; including daily live broadcasts from Dallas/Ft.Worth and/or Hollywood, CA. Celebrity interviews from the likes of Tony Curtis, Pat Boone and James Arnes; along with rare music from Edison cylinder records round out the format. “Another of our firsts is our live coverage of the Old Time Radio Conventions in Newark, NJ. and on the West Coast”, reminds Bragg; “and there is never a charge to listen or a commercial interruption of any kind!” The Station supports it’s self via listener monetary donations and with the proceeds from it’s annual Auction on the last Sunday in November.

The normal internet audio quality short falls and limitations have become an asset for Yesterday USA; allowing the old programs to sound exactly as they did during the golden days of radio. “Great script writing and the biggest celebrities in show business are missing from today’s standard radio formats, and since thousands of the original shows were carefully preserved years ago, we’re suddenly the guys with all the new toys!”; says Bragg. The YUSA studios not only still have turntables and open-reel tape machines in use, but the wind-up Edison Phonograph with morning glory horn is used to air the circa 1899 cylinder records that are a part of their 90 thousand item audio archive.
plz forgive what looks like an ad but I think its important to both parts of this discussion.  Licensing has become a large issue in the preservation of our National and International radio history.  Also that this is definatly not a for profit endevor.  All the volunteers, including the founder Bill, not only volunteer their time with the only compesation being being able to enjoy the shows but have out of pocket expences that are not reimbursed.  Sound familiar?  I found YUSA about 10 years ago on C-Band satalite.
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with all the different free/open source licenses out there which one does one choose for releasing original software?
There have been piles and piles of articles written in an attempt to give a solid answer to this question, but basically it comes down to your ideologies.
Here is one place you can start (it's obviously biased toward GPL, but essentially fair):
http://www.fsf.org/licensing/licenses/index_html

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how can I convert something to a free license without doing a complete rewrite?
If you are the author and copyright holder, you don't need to change a thing.  You can put the very same software under a new license.  What you can't do is release it and then later restrict the license term for the people who already have it (unless, I guess, that right was written in a EULA, but I have the belief that's immoral).

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Are there any legal restrictions I or the station should be aware of or any specific wording that needs to be used?
I know you can sell GPL software for a reasonable price to cover materials and handling costs, but I'm not sure about auctions.  You should definitely study the GPL before you do anything related to money.
http://www.fsf.org/licensing/licenses/gpl.html
GPL does not restrict the price, and I believe you only need to pass on John's promise to get the sources to all recipients of the cd.
curaga,

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and I believe you only need to pass on John's promise to get the sources to all recipients of the cd.
Is that contained on the live cd or somewhere on the net?

mikshaw,

That turns into some heavy reading.  Is my 'in a nut shell' take right that most of the licenses are special purpose to make something odd GPL compatable?  It comes down to ones ideologies and goals between the GPL and LGPL unless theres a good reason for a different license?  Edit:  Also where I intend some things to not be dependent on, but work best with, DSL/DSL-N that becomes part of the question.

Thanks
It's on all the mirrors, here's a link to ibiblio:
ftp://ftp.ibiblio.org/pub....ces.txt
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original here.