We have free software licenses for already a lot of time. And without them we would be nowhere near the richness and the quality of the wealth of free software we have now. Their role, especially that of the copyleft ones, was crucial for the creation of this wealth.<\/p>\n
Since much sooner, we already have free (open) hardware licenses, too. And the free hardware is, well, where the free software was shortly after the first free software licenses were created. However, I hope it will grow in richness and quality like the free software did.<\/p>\n
However, these licenses cover just a section of the IT technologies. And IT is by far not only hardware and software. It is also methodologies, industrial technologies etc. What about these? Without them, we cannot have a healthy and self-sustaining free IT ecosystem.<\/p>\n
And what of the non-IT technologies? Is the technology freedom in producing life-saving medicines less needed than the IT technology freedom? The freedom of technologies for producing medical consumables? Foods? Clothes? Fresh water? Power generators? Machine tools?… The freedom of the software is but a small part of the technology freedom, because it is dependent on all other technologies, exactly like every small ecosystem is a part of the global Earth ecosystem, and is dependent on it. The only way to truly free your favorite part is to free the whole.<\/p>\n
(I know it sounds maniacally, and don’t care. My efforts will surely be insignificant – but Gandhi says it is important that I make them. And I honor him.)<\/p>\n
In theory, licenses like GPL may be used for non-software technologies. However, being software-centric, sometimes they may not be completely appropriate:<\/p>\n
– they do not always reflect correctly the relations between technology description, technology implementation and technology product, and its effect over the technology freedom.<\/p>\n
– they often do not clarify the notion of the technology description understandability and its dependence on the context: in the software it typically goes without saying, but outside of it things may be very different. (What about a software that is under a free license, but is written in language that you don’t understand, and\/or don’t have a compiler for it?)<\/p>\n
– in most parts of the world the only exclusive right that covers the software is the copyright; for the common technology there are also patents and other exclusive rights. A free technology license must account for these, too.<\/p>\n