TOPPERS License

For all materials produced by TOPPERS, a license outlining usage rights is attached.

In order for software developed by the TOPPERS Project be used widely and also to vitalize the open source software industry, the right to have the public use the developed software freely is important. On the other hand, federal funding is used as part of the TOPPERS Project software development, and therefore explanation on results of the project is mandated. Appealing the end product of the developments can be utilized for further funding and future projects.

As a result, for TOPPERS developed materials, instead of using exsiting GNU and GPL usage agreements, a independently formed agreement has been made. The most distinctive feature of the TOPPERS license is section(3) paragraph (b). By this section agreement, when using TOPPERS software, only reporting the fact is necessary. We call this way of thinking as "Reportware".

Also, so that TOPPERS Project materials can be used linked to GNU and GPL software, the option to choose GNU and GPL is available. Choosing either license is up to the user, so if the user does not wish to use GNU or GPL, it can be avoided.

TOPPERS License Agreement

<Name of Software>

Copyright (C) <Year> by <Copyright Holder 1>
Copyright (C) <Year> by <Copyright Holder 2>
...

 The above copyright holders grant permission gratis to use,
 duplicate, modify, or redistribute (hereafter called use) this
 software (including the one made by modifying this software),
 provided that the following four conditions (1) through (4) are
 satisfied.

 (1) When this software is used in the form of source code, the above
     copyright notice, this use conditions, and the disclaimer shown
     below must be retained in the source code without modification.

 (2) When this software is redistributed in the forms usable for the
     development of other software, such as in library form, the above
     copyright notice, this use conditions, and the disclaimer shown
     below must be shown without modification in the document provided
     with the redistributed software, such as the user manual.

 (3) When this software is redistributed in the forms unusable for the
     development of other software, such as the case when the software
     is embedded in a piece of equipment, either of the following two
     conditions must be satisfied:

   (a) The above copyright notice, this use conditions, and the
       disclaimer shown below must be shown without modification in
       the document provided with the redistributed software, such as
       the user manual.

   (b) How the software is to be redistributed must be reported to the
       TOPPERS Project according to the procedure described
       separately.

 (4) The above copyright holders and the TOPPERS Project are exempt
     from responsibility for any type of damage directly or indirectly
     caused from the use of this software and are indemnified by any
     users or end users of this software from any and all causes of
     action whatsoever.

 THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS." THE ABOVE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND
 THE TOPPERS PROJECT DISCLAIM ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES,
 INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ITS APPLICABILITY TO A PARTICULAR
 PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE ABOVE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND THE
 TOPPERS PROJECT BE LIABLE FOR ANY TYPE OF DAMAGE DIRECTLY OR
 INDIRECTLY CAUSED FROM THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE.

TOPPERS Educational contents license agreement

<Software Title>
Copyright (C) <Development Year> by <Copyright Holder 1> 
Copyright (C) <Development Year> by <Copyright Holder 2> 
. . .

The above copyright holder, limited to cases in which one satisfies
conditions (1) ~ (3) below consents to the use, reproduction,
alteration, and redistribution (hereafter called utilization) of this
software (this software includes alterations, likewise below) without
compensation.

(1) When this software is utilized in the form of source code, the
above copyright declaration, these conditions of utilization, and the
following stipulation of no guarantee shall be included in unchanged
form inside the source code.

(2) When this software is redistributed in a form in which it can be
used in the development of other software, library form, etc., the
above copyright display, these terms of utilization, and the following
stipulation of no guarantee shall be inserted in documentation
accompanying redistribution (user's manual, etc.).

(3) The above copyright holder and the TOPPERS Project shall be exempt
from responsibility for whatever damages occur either directly or
indirectly through the utilization of this software.