# Polyform Noncompete License

Development Draft

## Acceptance

In order to get any license under these terms, you must agree to their rules.  Those rules are both obligations under your agreement and conditions to all the licenses granted to you under these terms.  The licensor may not end that agreement, or revoke any licenses granted under it, except per [Violations](#violations).

## Copyright License

The licensor grants you a copyright license for the software, to do everything you might do with the software that would otherwise infringe the licensor's copyright in it, for any permitted purpose.  However, you may not distribute the software, or make changes or new works based on the software, unless these terms grant you an additional license to do so.

## Distribution License

The licensor grants you an additional copyright license to distribute copies of the software, and if these terms grant you an additional license to make changes and new works, to distribute your changes and new works, as well.  You must ensure that anyone who gets a copy of any part of the software from you also gets the text of these terms or a link to their text on <https://polyformproject.org>.

## Changes and New Works License

The licensor grants you an additional copyright license to make changes and new works based on the software for any permitted purpose.

## Patent License

The licensor grants you a patent license for the software that covers patent claims the licensor can license, or becomes able to license, that you would otherwise infringe by doing anything you are licensed to do under these terms.

## Noncommercial Purposes

Any noncommercial purpose is a permitted purpose.

## Noncommercial Organizations

Use by any charitable organization, educational institution, public research organization, public safety or health organization, environmental protection organization, or government institution is for a permitted purpose, even if that use involves occasional uses for arguably commercial purposes.

## Fair Use

You may have other "fair use" rights for the software under the law.  These terms do not limit them.

## Noncompete

It is not a permitted purpose to provide any offering that competes with the software or any other offering the licensor provides using the software.  However, if you are using the software to provide an offering that does not compete, and the licensor begins providing a competing offering using the software, you may continue using versions of the software available under these terms at that time to provide your offering, but not any later versions made available under these terms.

## No Other Rights

These terms do not allow you to sublicense or transfer any licenses granted under these terms to anyone else, or prevent the licensor from granting licenses to anyone else.  These terms do not imply any other licenses.

## Patent Defense

If you or your company makes any written claim alleging that the software infringes or contributes to infringement of a patent, your patent license for the software granted under these terms ends immediately.

## No Liability

***As far as the law allows, the software comes as is, without any warranty or condition, and the licensor will not be liable to you for any damages arising out of these terms or the use, distribution, or nature of the software, under any kind of legal claim.***

## Violations

If you are notified in writing that you have broken any rule of these terms, you can keep the licenses granted to you under these terms by coming fully into compliance with these terms within 29 days of receiving the notice.  If you do not stop violating these terms within that time, your agreement under these terms ends immediately, and your licenses for the software end with it.  This excuse section is only available to you once.

## Definitions

The **licensor** is the individual or entity giving this license, and the **software** is the software the licensor makes available under these terms.

**You** refers to the individual or entity agreeing to and receiving licenses under these terms.

**Your company** is any legal entity, sole proprietorship, or other kind of organization that you work for, plus all organizations that have control over, are under the control of, or are under common control with that organization.  **Control** means ownership of substantially all the assets of an entity, or the power to direct its management and policies by vote, contract, or otherwise.  Control can be direct or indirect.