[nycbug-talk] Google and the BSD License

[Isaac Levy]

Hi All,

Printed today in LinuxFormat magazine:
http://www.linuxformat.co.uk/modules.php? 
op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=251

"Former Slashdot editor, games programmer and consultant Chris DiBona  
talks about his new work at Google in a brief interview over at Linux  
Format."

--
LXF: What’s the preferred Google licence?

CD: We usually use the BSD. We’ve released things under the LGPL as  
well. We try to make sure that people are able to use what we  
release, and GPL and LGPL is good for that, but the GPL keeps  
proprietary software vendors from using it too, so often our  
engineers don’t select it. We do let the engineer choose the licence  
itself. If they feel passionately about it they can choose whatever  
they want; we’re more interested in getting code out there than in  
any big religious dispute.

We also choose the BSD because it’s a little easier from our  
perspective and with our staffing levels to keep track of it – you  
don’t have to. With the GPL you have to have more of a stewardship  
role with that piece of software, whereas with the BSD you can say,  
“Here it is, take it, have fun”, and forget about it in a lot of ways.
--


Got this from slasdot today, (I know noboday reads that rag, right?):
http://linux.slashdot.org/linux/06/02/14/1838207.shtml

Loads of other great thoughts expressed by Chris DiBona in the  
article IMHO, given the context.

Best,
.ike