The Barrer Open Source License (BOSL)
Version 1.1
Copyright (c) 2025 BarrerSoftware
Preamble
This license governs software released by BarrerSoftware that
is designated as FREE software.
**Core Principle:**
"If it's free, it's free. Period."
Software under this license is provided to the community at
zero cost and MUST remain at zero cost forever.
Grant of Rights
Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person
obtaining a copy of this software to:
✅ **USE** - Use the software for any purpose
✅ **STUDY** - Examine how the software works
✅ **MODIFY** - Make changes and improvements
✅ **DISTRIBUTE** - Share copies with others
✅ **CONTRIBUTE** - Submit improvements back
Mandatory Restrictions
1. NO COMMERCIALIZATION
**YOU MUST NOT:**
❌ Sell this software or any derivative work
❌ Charge fees for access to this software
❌ Create paid tiers, editions, or versions
❌ Implement subscription or licensing models
❌ Bundle with paid products (unless this remains free)
❌ Charge for downloads, installations, or usage
❌ Monetize this software in ANY form
**This software MUST remain free.**
2. PERPETUAL FREE STATUS
Any modified or derivative version MUST:
Remain under this license (or compatible)
Stay free of charge forever
Include this license in full
Maintain attribution to BarrerSoftware
3. SERVICE EXCEPTION
You MAY charge for SERVICES, not SOFTWARE:
✅ Technical support contracts
✅ Installation and setup services
✅ Training and education
✅ Custom integration work
✅ Consulting services
❌ The software itself must remain free
Attribution Requirements
You MUST:
Keep copyright notices intact
Include this license with all copies
Credit BarrerSoftware in documentation
Link to original source repository
You MUST NOT:
Remove or alter copyright notices
Claim you created the original software
Imply BarrerSoftware endorses your version
Patent Grant
BarrerSoftware grants you a perpetual, worldwide,
non-exclusive, no-charge, royalty-free patent license to:
Use
Make
Have made
Import
Distribute
this software.
If you initiate patent litigation against BarrerSoftware
or this software, this license terminates.
Rationale
Why This License Exists
BarrerSoftware releases most software for FREE because:
1. **Built on free resources**
- We use public specifications
- We study open source code
- We learn from community work
- What was given freely, must remain free
2. **Accessibility matters**
- Students can't always afford software
- Developing countries need access
- Hobbyists deserve good tools
- Everyone should have opportunity
3. **Community over commerce**
- We profit from 2 paid products only
- Everything else is free
- If we don't profit from it, no one should
- Fair and ethical
The Problem We're Solving
We've observed companies:
Fork free/open source software
Add minimal "enterprise features"
Charge significant fees
Profit from community work
**Examples:**
Forked package managers sold as "enterprise"
Free tools rebranded and monetized
Community work exploited for profit
**BarrerSoftware will not allow this.**
Our Commitment
BarrerSoftware's free software will NEVER:
Be sold by us
Be paywalled
Have premium tiers
Require subscriptions
**We set the example.**
**We enforce the rule.**
Enforcement
Violations
Using this software in violation of this license
(particularly commercialization) will result in:
1. **Public disclosure**
- Violator name published
- Violation details shared
- Community warned
2. **Legal action**
- Immediate cease and desist
- Injunction to stop distribution
- Recovery of all profits made
- Legal fees paid by violator
3. **Permanent ban**
- Excluded from BarrerSoftware ecosystem
- No future license grants
- Community blacklist
Reporting Violations
If you encounter a paid version of BarrerSoftware
free software:
**Report immediately:**
Email: legal@barrersoftware.com
Subject: "BOSL Violation - [Software Name]"
Include: Evidence, links, pricing, screenshots
**We will:**
Investigate within 24 hours
Take immediate action
Protect free access for all
Update community on resolution
**Zero tolerance policy.**
Disclaimer
THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF
ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED
TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A
PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT.
IN NO EVENT SHALL BARRERSOFTWARE BE LIABLE FOR ANY
CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION
OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR
IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE.
Compatibility
Compatible Licenses
Modified versions may use these licenses:
BarrerSoftware License (this license)
GNU GPL v3.0 (with non-commercial addendum)
Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0
Any license that prohibits commercialization
Incompatible Licenses
❌ MIT License (too permissive)
❌ Apache 2.0 (allows commercialization)
❌ BSD Licenses (allow commercialization)
❌ Any license permitting sale
Special Provisions
BarrerSoftware Paid Products
BarrerSoftware has TWO paid products:
Velocity Panel
CleanVM Enterprise
**These are NOT under this license.**
All other BarrerSoftware software is free and
under this license or compatible.
Educational Use
Academic institutions MAY:
Use in courses (free)
Include in curriculum (free)
Provide to students (free)
Research and modify (free)
Academic institutions MUST NOT:
Charge students for software access
Include in paid course materials only
Require purchase for participation
Education must remain accessible.
Government Use
Government agencies MAY:
Use for any purpose (free)
Deploy widely (free)
Modify for needs (free)
Government agencies MUST NOT:
Charge other agencies for access
Sell to contractors
Create paid derivatives
Public software for public good.
Philosophy
"If it's free, it's free. Period."
What we build for the community stays with the community.
No exploitation. No paywalls. No profit.
**Community over commerce.**
**Access over revenue.**
**Forever free.**
Contact
**BarrerSoftware**
Website: https://barrersoftware.com
GitHub: https://github.com/barrersoftware
License questions: legal@barrersoftware.com
General: contact@barrersoftware.com
Version History
**v1.0** (2025) - Initial release
🏴☠️ **BarrerSoftware - Building bridges, not walls**
*What is given freely, must remain free.*
END OF LICENSE