[ale] OT - Amazon Software License - comments?

[DJ-Pfulio]

On 04/06/2015 07:56 PM, Jeff Layton wrote:
> Good evening,
> 
> I've been reading the Amazon Software License (http://aws.amazon.com/asl/ ) in
> regard to some software that they have published (cfncluster). It's not listed
> in the open source initiative licenses
> (http://opensource.org/licenses/alphabetical ). My poor Googling attempts didn't
> reveal much except a discussion within Apache that indicates ASL is not
> compatible with the Apache license, and a bunch of legal books available on Amazon.
> 
> I'm curious about forking the code or using it as the basis of something
> related. But my license knowledge is pretty poor. Any comments are appreciated
> and I realize that your comments cannot be used against you :)  I will also
> consult an attorney if I choose to go down this path.
> 

A quick read shows there is a huge, non-starting, restriction. The software and
derivative works can only be used with Amazon services. See section 3.3.

"3.3 Use Limitation. The Work and any derivative works thereof only may be used
or intended for use with the web services, computing platforms or applications
provided by Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates, including Amazon Web Services, Inc."

I wouldn't touch anything licensed this way.