Beerware
Beerware is a somewhat tongue-in-cheek term for software released under a very relaxed license. It provides the end user with the right to use a particular program (or obtain and modify its source code) if they buy the author a beer, or, in some variations, drink a beer in the author's honor. The term was invented by John Bristor in Pensacola, Florida on April 25 1987[citation needed], and the first software distributed using the Beerware licensing model was uploaded to a number of BBSs in 1987 and 1988[citation needed]. Many variations on the beerware model have been created since that time.
Poul-Henning Kamp's beerware license is simple and short, in contrast to the GPL which he has described as "a joke"[1]. The full text of Kamp's license is:
- "THE BEER-WARE LICENSE" (Revision 42):
<phk@FreeBSD.org> wrote this file. As long as you retain this notice you can do whatever you want with this stuff. If we meet some day, and you think this stuff is worth it, you can buy me a beer in return. Poul-Henning Kamp[1]
Notes
- ^ a b
Kamp, Poul-Henning (2004-10-24). "Poul-Henning Kamp". Retrieved 2006-04-24.
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