Petit Computer allows your program to be open source. However, you're pretty much forced to anyway. If you want your program to be closed source, don't bother posting here. We ONLY accept entries that are intended to be open source and provided free of charge.
What is a license? A license is a formal legal document explaining the user what he/she can and cannot do with your intellectual property. Without one, this may cause some legal disputes or simple arguments. (Explained under No License.)
To apply a license to your program, copy and modify one of the licenses below to your program page under the header "License". (The raw license text are contained in "More Information on License >>".) If you choose not to have a license, simply leave "No license applied as of now." under the header.
MIT License (Simple and Permissive; Preferred)
This is the preferred license in the Petit Computer Wiki. It's basically allows the consumer to use your code free of charge and do whatever they wish with it as long as proper credit is given and not hold you liable for any damage.
More Information on License >>
This license requires anyone who creates a diverative or redistributes your code to use the same license, or known as a "copyleft".
More Information on License >>
Apache License v2 (Concerned about Patents; Not Recommend)
This is very similar to the MIT license but use only if you are concerned about patents. However, patents aren't used at all in the Petit Computer Wiki (so far). This is posted only for reference. If you want to use this license but have not concerns for patents, please consider using the MIT license instead.
More Information on License >>
Custom License (Use with Caution)
You may create a modified variant of one of these license or a completely custom document on what you allow your audience to do and not do. Make sure it follows these guidelines at the very least:
- Able to use your piece of software completely free of charge
- Allows viewing and modifying source code for private use
- May require permission from program owner for redistribution, both edited or not
No License (If None is Chosen or Listed)
Finally, don't want a license? You don't have to! It is completely optional. However, this creates even more legal complications. Default copyright laws will apply, meaning you are only allowing the consumer to use the code. They may modify the code but only for private use. If you want to share your work to the community to modify and redistribute, please reconsider using one of the above licenses. Your code may be open to view and edit but it causes confusion whether if it is truly "open-source". Copy the line below under the License header if you truly choose to do so.
<code>No license applied as of now.</code>
More Information
Choosealicense.com is a great source for quick information on OSS licenses in a friendlier manner.
If you want more information, the Open-Source Initiative is much more detailed but may not be as easy to understand.