
For rapid evolution to happen, people need to be able to experiment with and redistribute modifications. Rationale: The mere ability to read source isn’t enough to support independent peer review and rapid evolutionary selection. The license must allow modifications and derived works, and must allow them to be distributed under the same terms as the license of the original software. Since our purpose is to make evolution easy, we require that modification be made easy.

Rationale: We require access to un-obfuscated source code because you can’t evolve programs without modifying them. Intermediate forms such as the output of a preprocessor or translator are not allowed. Deliberately obfuscated source code is not allowed. The source code must be the preferred form in which a programmer would modify the program. Where some form of a product is not distributed with source code, there must be a well-publicized means of obtaining the source code for no more than a reasonable reproduction cost preferably, downloading via the Internet without charge. The program must include source code, and must allow distribution in source code as well as compiled form. If we didn’t do this, there would be lots of pressure for cooperators to defect. Rationale: By constraining the license to require free redistribution, we eliminate the temptation to throw away many long-term gains in order to make a few short-term sales dollars.

The license shall not require a royalty or other fee for such sale.


The license shall not restrict any party from selling or giving away the software as a component of an aggregate software distribution containing programs from several different sources. The distribution terms of open-source software must comply with the following criteria: 1. Open source doesn’t just mean access to the source code.
