Bootstrap Open Source License (BOSL)

Created by the Electric Coin Co (developers of Zcash), this license permits all uses of the software but requires that derivative work be eventually made open source (no more than one year later).

Like the Affero General Public License, it includes a clause which would make the license’s terms apply over the network. But unlike that license, it gives commercial derivatives a “grace period” to exploit their work before they must make it freely available.

This license relates to Business Software License by using time-based protectionism, but it differs primarily in the strength of the protection. The Business Software License prohibits production use during the grace period; the BOSL permits it (but requires the exploiter to eventually open-source their work).

This license doesn’t really protect against low-effort commercialization. It’s meant to encourage more substantial investment from people in the ecosystem, and it offers them opportunity to capture some of the value they create.

Last updated 2021-12-13.