Open Source Nonprofit Software

A lower court’s decision regarding a copyright case was overturned on Wednesday by a federal appeals court. The case has the potential to strengthen the legal foundation of open source software. The appeals court has ruled that the conditions of the artistic license are enforceable by copyright laws. This ruling strengthens the principles of open source software and other applications that the public is able to edit and redistribute.

The ruling stems from a case of alleged copyright infringement committed by a company which used another man’s software in order to develop commercial software against the original artistic license. While the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California ruled that the man’s license was “intentionally broad,” the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit overturned the ruling and stated that the terms of the artistic license are enforceable under copyright laws.

This ruling sets the standard for future licensing disputes. It strengthens artistic licenses and provides company’s the ability to protect their rights.

For more information on your open source software, contact MPower Open at www.mpoweropen.com