LIMERICK Poetic License

    (c) 2024 Alexander E Genaud

    Permission is granted hereby,
    to copy, share, use, modify,
        for purposes any,
        for free or for money,
    provided these notices multiply.

    This work "as is" we provide,
    no warranty express or implied,
        for, no purpose fit,
        'tis unmerchantable shit.
    Liability for damages denied.

Set the LIMERICK Poetic License as Your project's LICENSE or LIMERICK file and consider including the LIMERICK in Your README and source files.

The LIMERICK Poetic License is a fun, simplified, easy to read alternative or supplement to the MIT and OpenBSD permissive licenses. The permissions most closely resemble OpenBSD's ISC license and the disclaimer most closely resembles the MIT Expat license. The LIMERICK Poetic License is the best of these better worlds.

2024 "provided notices edify ... multiply"

While I hope the poem will edify, the notices must first multiply.

    Confusing legalese is abhoring.
    MIT LICENSE: suffient yet boring.
        LIMERICK file inspires,
        Transparency requires,
    these umpteen rhymes included within.

By comparing the similarities of various popular permissive licenses, their redundancies, and differences, one can see the simple advantages of the LIMERICK Poetic License. It gets to the point, encourages reading and understanding, for casual readers and lawyers alike.

Compare the LIMERICK, MIT, ISC, and BSD variants.

LIMERICK or LICENSE or both?

I've been told by some who lack humour that the LIMERICK Poetic License is not legally robust, is not boring enough, and has not yet been challenged in court.

The LIMERICK Poetic License is a living poem and not versioned. It is set in light, not in stone. Modify it and share your changes if it pleases You.

I am no lawyer, certainly not Your lawyer, and as of 2024, no one has ever paid me for poetic advice. Yet, by Prometheus, I encourage You and grant You permission to assert the LIMERICK Poetic License as the sole LICENSE of Your project.

Should a "proper" MIT, MPL v2, Apache v2, or GPL-esque LICENSE tempt You, then may it please You to gracefully demote these hallowed rhymes to a mere LIMERICK file in Your project where README and other shouting files hail.

Ramblings about other licenses

The venerable GPL is slipping against Entropy in the cosmic battle for Truth, Peace, and Freedom. Something like the AGPL may emerge from the canobalistic dust cloud. The MPL v2 best articulates what developers intuitively believe open source is and should be; but it may have been too long, seemingly complicated, and unpopular by accidents of history. OpenBSD's ISC grants clear permissions, MIT has a simple disclaimer, and BSD is no lesser salad of legalese. The Apache v2 is MIT's verbose brother with novel patent protections. The LIMERICK Poetic License is the best of all licenses.

2023 "permissive licenses side by side"

The LIMERICK Poetic License is a permissive open source software license believed to be, in spirit and poetically, equivalent to OpenBSD's ISC and MIT Expat Licenses. Specifically, the chimera most closely resembles the OpenBSD ISC notice followed by a distilled intersection of BSD, ISC, and MIT warranty disclaimers.

See additional limericks side-by-side permissive license snippets.

2022 "unmerchantable shit"

Pro: Matches the pattern of the ISC notice closely. Con: Vague object of notice: alt "use this thing, free or for bling".

    (c) 2022 Alexander E Genaud      /////   OpenBSD (ISC) License   /////////////////////
                                     //
    Permission is granted hereby,    //  Permission to use, copy, modify, and (/or)
    to copy, share, use, modify,     //  distribute this software for any purpose
       for purposes any,             //  with or without fee is hereby granted,
       for free or for money,        //  provided that the above copyright notice and
    provided these rhymes catch eye. //  this permission notice appear in all copies.
                                     //

                                     /////   ISC, BSD, and MIT Disclaimers (mix)   ///////
                                     //
    This work "as is" I provide,     //  THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY
    no warranty express or implied,  //  OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING ...
       for, no purpose fit,          //  WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR
       'tis unmerchantable shit.     //  A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ... IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
    Liability for damages denied.    //  AUTHOR BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES ...
                                     //  WHETHER ... CONTRACT, TORT, ... ARISING FROM USE

2013 "no purpose fit"

Pro: Lowers expectations: "no purpose fit".

    (c) 2013 Alexander E Genaud

    This work 'as is' I provide.
    No warranty express or implied.
        For no purpose fit,
        not even a wee bit.
    Liability for damages denied.

    Permission is granted hereby,
    to copy, share, and modify.
       Use it with glee,
       for profit or free.
    On this notice, these rights rely.

2005 "done our best, to debug and test"

Pro: Refers to 'work' early and not software. Con: "best, debug and test" may imply merchantability and fitness.

Original post: http://genaud.net/2005/10/poetic-license/

    (c) 2005 Alexander E Genaud

    This work 'as is' we provide.
    No warranty express or implied.
       We’ve done our best,
       to debug and test.
    Liability for damages denied.

    Permission is granted hereby,
    to copy, share, and modify.
       Use as is fit,
       free or for profit.
    These rights, on this notice, rely.