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Editorial Team
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Asked: 2026-05-11T17:08:38+00:00

I like a library released under BSD license . This library is not actively

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I like a library released under BSD license. This library is not actively maintained since late 2007.

  • Can I fork the library and relicensing under an Creative Commons license?
  • The original author must be informed?
  • Are there problems other than these?

EDIT

Based on the feedback provided by several answers I’m providing more details on my specific case.

I’m rewriting some low level code of a BSD licensed library (JLine) using a LGPL library (JNA). Can I publish this work in a different license?

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1 Answer

  1. Editorial Team

    You can’t remove the BSD license. What you can do is put it under another license also. For example, Microsoft adopted BSD networking code at one time. If you looked at the appropriate displays, you’d find the notices required by the license. On the other hand, Microsoft’s copy was also under whatever license Microsoft used, and Microsoft’s modifications were neither Free nor Open Source software.

    Unless it’s some weird variation of the BSD license, there is no obligation to inform the original author. You should try to do that, though, out of common courtesy to somebody who made your life easier. The author may want to find a new maintainer, for example, and may help you out.

    However, why do you want to relicense it? I don’t know which CC license you’re interested in, and there’s a great variety of them, but what’s the benefit here?

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