Libre Software or “Free Software” licenses grant users permission to use, study, modify, and share software. The GNU General Public License reflects these principles by ensuring that derivative works remain open and equally accessible.

Today, I’m announcing a significant shift in my licensing strategy: I’m moving toward Free Software licenses for my software libraries. Prior to today, I experimented with Free Software licenses, but had not fully committed.

Why I’m Doing This

Free Software is about more than just code. It promotes transparency and user freedom. By offering my software under a Free Software license, I hope to empower individuals and organizations to use my software without restriction. At the same time, my commercial licenses provide the legal and operational flexibility that many businesses require to integrate the software into their proprietary systems.

What Is Dual-Licensing?

Dual-licensing means that my software libraries will be available under two distinct licenses:

• Free Software License (GPL): Ideal for individual developers, researchers, and non-profits who want the freedom to use, study, and share our software.
• Commercial License: Tailored for businesses that need legal or operational flexibility, without the copyleft requirements of the GPL.

By offering both options, I keep the core of my work accessible and free, while providing a sustainable monetary path for my business.

Limitations on Applications

While I’re committed to Free Software licenses for software libraries, this isn’t practical for software applications. That’s because applications require mechanisms to ensure legitimate ownership and so publishing the source code isn’t feasible. I will, however, continue to reevaluate my strategy as time advances.

What’s Next

As of today, Judo and Charisma are published under the GNU General Public License version 3. For organizations that require more flexible terms I will continue to offer commercial licenses as part of a dual-licensing model. In the coming months, expect more announcements as I transition additional products to the dual-licensing model.