Simple Machines and Open Source

Simple Machines software is not only free but also Open Source. Simple Machines project teams will release their software under OSI approved Open Source licenses. Though future project teams may choose from other OSI approved Open Source licenses, the "standard" license for Simple Machines software is the New BSD (3-clause) license. This means that anyone is free to modify and improve the source code as they see fit. And they may redistribute their modified code, as long as they follow these three guidelines:

  1. Retain the entire Simple Machines copyright and licensing notice in every file.
  2. Make clear that the changed product is not the same as the original Simple Machines software (SMF or any other product).
  3. Do not use the Simple Machines name (or the names of any Simple Machines contributors) to endorse or promote the modified software.

This license was chosen by the Simple Machines organization and the SMF project during development of SMF 2.0.

Simple Machines Forum 1.x

The license used for SMF 1.0 and SMF 1.1 is more restrictive than OSI approved licenses. That license allows users to modify the source, but does not allow them to redistribute or re-release the software without the express, written consent of Simple Machines. The team had chosen this license in an attempt to solve a variety of licensing problems ranging from commercial distribution without proper credit to free distribution of very different versions under the same name. This license will not be used for any future versions of software from Simple Machines projects.

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