Release of IFOSSLR

Release of International Free and Open Source Software Law Review

Today marks the (soft) launch of a new journal dedicated to Free and Open Source Software legal issues (a “hard” launch with printed copies is happening in London on Wednesday).   The  International Free and Open Source Software Law Review is an initiative of the freedom taskforce run  by FSF Europe.   I am on the editorial panel and am also happy to take credit for initially floating the idea of having a journal.  I am also happy to praise the enormous effort that has gone into putting the law review together by the other members of the editorial committee and to the sponsors for supporting it.

There is, I think, a great need for a journal like this dedicated to free and open source software related legal issues.  At the moment, these issues remain hidden among other more generalist law journals – and are likely to be country specific.  Moroever, such articles are unlikely to be appropriately licensed.  Authors who are supportive of free and open source software are put in the ironical position of having to forego their (and their readers’) freedom if they want to publish articles on the topic.  The IFOSSLR rectifies these problems.  It will allow relevant articles to be grouped in one convenient place.  It will allow exposition of the cross-jurisdictional issues which are particularly important for communities which are by  nature multi-national.  Finally, its publication policy requires that all of the articles be openly licensed. In  general this means CC BY or BY-SA – so go download yourself a copy and share.  I expect to see it at the top on the torrents soon…