OT: non-commercial open source license?

[Christopher Browne]

On 1/4/06, Aaron Vegh <aaronvegh-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w at public.gmane.org> wrote:
> Hi there,
> I've been following progress on a tool for David Allen's Getting
> Things Done methodology (if you haven't heard of it, check it out here
> -- http://www.amazon.ca/exec/obidos/ASIN/0142000280/qid=1136388933/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl/701-9147722-8397935
> and browse the web for "GTD")
>
> The tool is called Tasktoy (www.tasktoy.com), and the developer is
> hosting this rather interesting specialized content management tool on
> his own server. I've asked about him open-sourcing the tool, but his
> concern is that someone would post their own version and charge for
> it. So the question became: is there an open source licence that would
> restrict use to personal only, and not commercial?

It's not "free software" if it is restricted that way.

Linux would have been no more than a historical curiosity if Linus had
restricted its use to "personal only, no commercial."

Ditto for each and every piece of software included in a Linux distribution.

If your friend doesn't want it used for "commercial" purposes outside
his control, then it is futile to "open source" it.  The whole point
of "open sourcing" something is to expressly give up that control.
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