From The Register:

It took no more than five minutes for a controversy to emerge once the Open Source Initiative (OSI) revealed that it had rushed a new attribution-style license through for approval.

The OSI yesterday confirmed that fluffy, Web 2.0 company Socialtext received the go ahead to use its Common Public Attribution License (CPAL) – or badgeware license – with the OSI's blessing. The license stands as significant since it mutes an ongoing battle over the controversial attribution licenses used by the likes of SugarCRM and Centric CRM, which had yet to meet the OSI's "open source" standards. Now, software makers have the all-clear to adapt Socialtext's license to cover their own wares and can go on displaying logos all over the place.

This is absolutely ridiculous. Later on:

President Michael Tiemann has responded to queries about the organization's decision to "rush through" approval for a new badgerware license by saying that the OSI board did its best for "the community."

Thanks for speaking on the behalf of blubbering idiots (obv, we can't think for ourselves, which is why the OSI felt the need to think for us)

The OSI has granted over 60 different types of "open-source" licenses. In what other industry do we take one thing, make 60 iterations of it, and call it the one thing?

Badgeware is not open source. Period. Let's take a look at the common web app stack:

• Linux
• Apache
• mySQL
• PHP

WOO BOY, that's 4 logos (if they adopted CPAL and masqueraded as "Open Source") I'd have to already use! AND I HAVEN'T EVEN BEGUN STARTING WRITING MY APP!

Hmm ok. A lot of rapid application development involves some frameworks ... so let's say I use some PHP frameworks:

• Cake (framework)
• ADOdb (database abstraction)
• Smarty (templating)

Woo boy, if those were CPAL licensed, I'd get 3 MORE logos! But wait, that's just the PHP layer!!!! What about the UI?!

I'm probably gonna use a JS lib ... let's say I end up using the common combo:

• Prototype
• Scriptaculous

YEAH! 2 MORE!!!

Now my app now has 9 logos to show. My web application, in effect, has turned into a goddamn NASCAR racing car.

And (god forbid), somebody were to adopt my awesome application into something else? Oh .. wait for it ... AN EVEN 10 LOGOS HE'LL HAVE TO SHOW! RADICAL!

It just really really pisses me off how people/companies try to take ownership of intellectual property through patents and bullshit licenses.

Developers and companies of America: You're not special. Really. Get over yourselves. Think your application is AWESOME? It's already been done. Think you have a great idea for a site? It's done. Stop trying to get your name plastered all over the place to extend your 15 minutes of fame.

I'm reminded of an AWESOME image from the ever-wonderful Despair.com when you had to give them your email address:

Personally, I'm not a big fan of most open source licenses. I can barely stand GPL ... I really think the WTFPL represents the true spirit of open source. (Speaking of which, I hacked together a really shitty PHP framework for writing your own PHP extensions for Deki Wiki done last week. I'll be releasing it sometime this week under the WTFPL).

K, enough ranting. I'm sure you guys have better things to do.