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Should our research group switch software license from GPL to AFL?

edited October 2010 in Technology
Hey all,

Our research group ( http://eplex.cs.ucf.edu ) was approached by some guys at CMU who suggested that we switch from GPL (GNU Public License) to AFL (Academic Free License). They want to add our code to their Evolutionary Computation library but they can't because their library is AFL and they are currently connected to industries that cannot conform to the GPL.

Besides just wanting to use our code, they gave some reasons why it might be good for us to change to AFL:

1) Companies in general will be more apt to use our stuff, since libraries that have viral licenses like GPL are pretty much a non-starter for most companies.
2) Frankly our algorithms are so niche and internal that we would not be able to tell if someone is violating our license, so the GPL threatens no one
3) Going along with #2, if someone is using our software and not contributing back, they have potential fixes and updates that they would contribute back if it didn't mean exposing that they are violating the license.

Everyone in the lab got together and had a discussion, and these were the main opinions:

1) Keep with GPL or switch to LGPL. We are a university lab funded by the government and businesses that use our source code without contributing back are stealing from the taxpayers.

2) Switch to AFL. We want as many people as possible using the software and contributing, even if it means that people can legally use the software without mentioning us or contributing back.

3) Switch to an attribution-style license. This way we get recognition when someone uses our stuff, but they don't have to give up their own source.


What are your thoughts on the issue?
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