Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by snugghash 3178 days ago
For open source commercial, it's the same as for-profit. They'll probably get a discount.

For open source non-profit, it'd still be NC and therefore legal?

1 comments

"Non-profit" is a whole different kettle of fish than "non-commercial". It doesn't mean you're not selling anything. It doesn't mean you're morally good. It just means you registered for a particular business status with particular restrictions. And it's not what CC is talking about.

A key part of the Open Source Definition is that you do not lose your permission to use and copy the code based on what you do with it. A project that you aren't allowed to use anymore if you start making money from it is not Open Source.

"Non-commercial" code restrictions are more like the thing where you're allowed to look at the Windows source code, if you're an academic and you ask nicely and you won't ever do anything with it.