In opposite to my primary intention to built up a platform exclusive for open source objects this site hosts now all possible license forms. The licensing model should be remarked at the objects page in information section.

The hosting of projects for commercial objects does not change the platform to a shop for objects, nor will I organize shopping groups. Downloads of objects can, but do not have to be accessable for all visitors and you can't buy or sell objects here. For this are enough object vendors out there.

Nevertheless here are some possible license models for the objects on this site:

Minimize Open Source

The open source philosophy is based on the idea that everybody wins when access to code is not restricted; programmers do not have to reinvent the wheel again and again and so can spend more time focused on breaking new ground - meaning all our libraries can evolve and grow more quickly.

If you publish your objects under something like the GNU general public license (de / en) you invite all users and programmers to use and distribute your objects (optionally charging to recover any genuine distribution costs), and to enhance your objects. Where the code in an open source object is used as a starting point for an improved version or to enhance other objects, these new objects also must become open source under the terms of this licence type.  

It is good manners to see that the original author is sent a copy of any new object directly, and is fully acknowledged for their contribution.

One lonesome, but great open source example is the tentmaker object by Frank Chin.


Minimize Commercial objects

Not much to say about the standard licensing model. The author writes an object. Someone needs the object.  The author sells the right to use it. End of story.


Minimize Collective license

Some objects are very specialised and may not sell often enough to cover the development costs, and meanwhile some customers have limited budgets for buying any objects at all.

Authors using a collective licence type can allow groups of users (not necessarily of the same organization) to jointly access the objects at a volume discounted rate.

This can offer a win-win outcome for everyone; the author acquires new customers and sales they might not otherwise get, and users get access to objects they might not otherwise be able to afford.


Minimize Public developer license

Some objects are very time consuming to develop, yet may not have the wide appeal needed to make them commercially viable.  Sometimes an author may simply feel an object is not quite polished enough for commercial release.

Under this license type, a group of users get together and reimburse or finance the developer for the time involved, after which the object is made available for free download for all. Copyright remains with the Author. 

This is something like “public domain on demand”.