Cosm is Now Under the Apache License Version 2.0

All Cosm® code is now licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0. The servers, the clients, the CPU/OS and Utility layers – the works. The transition to the Apache License allows a wider base of users to use the Cosm API, libraries, and applications in their own projects.

So why the Apache License 2.0?

We are all big fans of Open Source, always have been, and the legal landscape has change a great deal since 1995 when Cosm began. Back then it was extremely difficult to even construct an Open Source license that worked, with the only real choices being GPL and BSD. After a massive proliferation a few main licenses have survived and flourished. The Open Source Initiative and other organizations exist to promote Open Source. Things are much simpler.

So that leaves deciding which of the major players, GPL*, BSD*, Apache, MIT, CPL, Eclipse or Mozilla. Lots of common ground. The new license for Cosm had to be useable by anyone, including commercial software, since the individual components of Cosm are modular. For example, if you want to use CosmFS in your software, you’ll need a license that allows you to do so. It had to spell out the terms on issues like the patents, use of the Cosm trademark, and giving credit where it’s due, so that there is no ambiguity. It also needed to be compatible with as many other Open Source licenses as possible. At the end of the day and with where we plan to head with Cosm, Apache 2.0 won us over.