The Legality of Free and Open Source Software Licences: The Case of Jacobsen v. Katzer

Edited book (chapter)

Fitzgerald, Brian and Olwan, Rami. 2011. "The Legality of Free and Open Source Software Licences: The Case of Jacobsen v. Katzer." Perry, Mark and Fitzgerald, Brian F. (ed.) Knowledge Policy for the 21st Century: A Legal Perspective. Toronto, Canada. Irwin Law. pp. 23-38
Chapter Title

The Legality of Free and Open Source Software Licences: The Case of Jacobsen v. Katzer

Book Chapter CategoryEdited book (chapter)
ERA Publisher ID2303
Book TitleKnowledge Policy for the 21st Century: A Legal Perspective
AuthorsFitzgerald, Brian (Author) and Olwan, Rami (Author)
EditorsPerry, Mark and Fitzgerald, Brian F.
Page Range23-38
Chapter Number6
Number of Pages16
Year2011
PublisherIrwin Law
Place of PublicationToronto, Canada
ISBN9781552211724
Abstract

In August 2008 one of, if not the most, influential Intellectual Property courts in the USA known as the Court of Appeals for Federal Circuit upheld the validity of a free and open source software licence known as the Artistic Licence. The case is significant because up until this point there has been little judicial discussion of the legal operation of this new type of copyright licensing that is sweeping across the world fuelled by the ubiquity of the Internet. The decision in Robert Jacobsen v. Matthew Katzer and Kamind Associates, Inc. 2008 U.S. App. LEXIS 17161 (Fed. Cir. 2008) issued on 13 August 2008 provides a unique and welcomed insight into the legal operation of free and open source software licences and by analogy Creative Commons styled open content licences. This article analyses the judgment and provides commentary on its reasoning.

KeywordsArtistic License, Condition, Copyleft, Copyright, Copyright Licensing, Covenant, Creative Commons, Enforcement, FLOSS, FOSS, Federal Circuit, Free Software, Free and Open Source Software, Jacobsen v Katzer, Legality of Free and Open Source Software Licensing, Open Content, Open Content Licensing, Open Source, Restrictions, Software Licensing
ANZSRC Field of Research 2020480399. International and comparative law not elsewhere classified
Byline AffiliationsQueensland University of Technology
Journal TitleJournal of Sharia and Law
Institution of OriginUniversity of Southern Queensland
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