All new apps that I release, and future updates to existing apps will be subject to a new license agreement.
I will no longer release totally 'Open Source' versions of my apps.
How will this affect existing apps?
In a nutshell, if you continue to use the existing code, then the open source license terms apply.
If, however; you update to use new versions of my code, then the new license will apply.
Will I have to pay?
This move to a more restrictive license is NOT a precursor to a paywall or any fees being charged for my apps or drivers.
This is not currently my intention.
Why have you done this?
The move to a new license is to give me some protection to my code.
I spend many, many hours writing and refining my code and testing etc before I release my apps & drivers, this new license is just a way to help 'protect' all that time investment.
This basically prevents someone copying my code and using massive chunks of it in an app that they release under their own name.
I now have a legal recourse (which will be used!) should this happen.
I hope you understand why I am doing this, and continue to use my apps & drivers
I'm happy to discuss
I fully understand why you are doing it, but I have to say that it did make me remove all your apps (but not the drivers, as they fell under the old use terms and I don't foresee a need to update them) from my system.
When developing my personal apps/drivers I try to maintain a very clear demarcation of code that is derivative from other sources.
While I don't see you as a predatory kind of guy, I refuse to expose myself to potential legal impact if you change your mind later, or your definition of 'massive chunks' is different than mine.
Anyway, I totally get why you are doing it, and wish you nothing but luck.
Guys,
Perhaps I didn’t explain my position too clearly.
Any existing apps which have been released under the open source license are yours to play with, plagiarise, copy, modify, release bits of.. whatever.
You have nothing to fear from me in doing this (and never will have if it was released as open source)
The new, more restricted, license will only apply to new updates or new apps that I release.
Existing apps which do not require updates won’t (cannot) be moved to the new license.
But, if you want updates or new features or new apps then it will fall under the new license agreement.
@napalmcsr
The update code was released under the open source license, so do whatever you want with it.
Guys, I’m not looking to upset anyone with this change, far from it.
At the end of the day, people have choices to use/update my apps or not,
(as @JasonJoel has demonstrated by uninstalling my apps)
I’m just trying to be open with this and my reasons for doing it.
I’m still trying to clarify this..
Let me give you an example.
One of my first released apps was ‘Flasher’, it just flashes one or more lights/switches up to 5 times
I have just finished a complete rewrite of this, with much cleaner code and the new ability (amongst others) to ‘restore’ the lights to their original state after the flash.
This will be released soon under the new license agreement.
If you take the old, open source version, hack it, modify it, and release it, then there is nothing I can, will, or even want, to do about that.
That’s what the open source license is all about.
If, however; you include all the new code from the new version and release that, then I would consider that to be a breach of the new agreement.
Those types of restrictive licenses have no place on freely released collaborative efforts, IMO.
Good luck though. I hope you can catch some dough for your efforts.
@Cobra:
One question, to clarify for me, are you going to leave the "final" fully open-source versions of your code somewhere? I do not mind that they will be archive "deprecated" versions but I personally have found your code useful for inspiration/basic knowledge (I am decades past my "regular at coding" days) but would not want to accidentally mix any.
That should be easy to avoid... If the app/driver doesn't have the new licensing terms in the code - it is the old rules... It has to be included in the code itself to be applicable when it is clear text/non-compiled source.
