Our Approach to Open Source, Licensing, and Collaboration - ApertureViewer/Aperture-Viewer GitHub Wiki

Policy Summary

This document outlines Aperture Viewer's principled approach to open-source software, licensing, and collaboration. Key tenets include:

  • Unyielding Commitment to Open Source: Aperture Viewer operates under the GNU Lesser General Public License v2.1 (LGPL) and champions its core freedoms.
  • No Embargoes on Publicly Licensed Code: In accordance with LGPL Section 10 and supportive platform policies (Linden Lab TPV Policy, GitHub ToS), Aperture Viewer does not adhere to informal embargoes on the use of publicly available LGPL code.
  • Operational Practice: We will continue to utilize publicly available LGPL code from all sources in line with the freedoms granted by the license to foster innovation.
  • Respect for Attribution: We are committed to proper attribution of original work through established open-source practices like commit histories and acknowledgments.
  • Call for Principled Collaboration: We advocate for a TPV community that operates with mutual respect, transparency, and steadfast adherence to open-source legal and ethical frameworks.

Our Core Commitments

At Aperture Viewer, we are deeply committed to the principles of open-source software and collaborative innovation. Our project is built upon the incredible foundation laid by Linden Lab and the vibrant ecosystem of third-party viewers (TPVs). This document outlines our approach to using and contributing to open-source code.

  1. Dedication to Open Source: Aperture Viewer is a proud open-source project. We believe the freedom to use, study, modify, and share software is fundamental to fostering innovation.
  2. Respect for Licensing: We are meticulous in our adherence to the GNU Lesser General Public License v2.1 (LGPL), which governs Aperture Viewer and much of the TPV ecosystem.
  3. Transparency: This document is part of our commitment to ensuring our community understands how and why we operate.

The Legal Framework: Understanding the LGPL v2.1

Our policies are a direct result of our careful interpretation of the LGPL v2.1, which is designed to ensure that software libraries—and applications like ours derived from them—remain free.

LGPL Section 10: "No Further Restrictions"

This section is fundamental. It states:

"You may not impose any further restrictions on the recipients' exercise of the rights granted herein."

  • Our Interpretation: We interpret this as an unequivocal prohibition against any party attempting to diminish the rights granted by the LGPL. Once a licensor distributes their work publicly under the LGPL, they cannot then selectively withdraw or limit those rights with informal restrictions, such as an embargo or a request to delay use.
  • How This Informs Our Operations: Our policy of not adhering to requests for embargoes on publicly available LGPL code is a direct consequence of this "no further restrictions" principle. To do otherwise would be to accept a restriction the license explicitly forbids.

LGPL Section 8: Consequences of Non-Compliance

This section underscores the seriousness of the license terms:

"Any attempt otherwise to copy, modify, sublicense, link with, or distribute the Library is void, and will automatically terminate your rights under this License."

  • Our Interpretation: Any action by a licensor that is not "expressly provided" by the license—such as imposing an embargo—risks the automatic termination of their own rights to that software under the LGPL.
  • How This Informs Our Operations: This provision reinforces why Aperture Viewer must strictly adhere to the LGPL's terms and cannot agree to conditions not sanctioned by the license. It is a matter of maintaining our own legal and ethical compliance within the open-source framework.

The Ethical Imperative of Open Source

Beyond the letter of the license, Aperture Viewer is guided by its spirit. Open source is about the free and unhindered circulation of ideas and innovation.

  • Openness vs. Embargoes: The concept of an "embargo" on publicly available code stands in direct opposition to the core tenet of openness. It introduces a form of gatekeeping that we cannot ethically endorse.
  • Protection from Protectionism: A fundamental strength of the LGPL is its role in preventing protectionism over shared code. Once contributed to the commons, code becomes part of a shared heritage.
  • Attribution as the Pillar of Recognition: We believe that attribution (through copyright notices, commit histories, and acknowledgments) is the proper and sufficient mechanism for recognizing contributions within this framework.

Our stance is a direct reflection of these deeply held convictions. We respect that other projects may hold different viewpoints; this is ours.

Addressing Concerns

Aperture Viewer operates with the utmost respect for intellectual property and licensing.

[!IMPORTANT] If any party believes that Aperture Viewer has inadvertently incorporated code that was genuinely private and not publicly licensed, we urge you to contact us directly at [email protected]. We are committed to promptly and thoroughly investigating any legitimate claim and taking appropriate corrective action.