Re: SWIFTStandards IPR Policy

[Walter Landry <wlandry@wlandry.net>]

Mathias Behrle <mbehrle@debian.org> writes:
> 2. License
> SWIFT hereby grants you a world-wide, royalty-free, non-exclusive license to
> use or promote SWIFTStandards (i) for information transmission purposes in or
> outside the context of SWIFT messaging services and/or (ii) to develop
> software, products or services which support transmission of information in
> accordance with SWIFTStandards.

This feels funny.  It does not allow users to use SWIFTStandards to
advocate against SWIFTStandards.  As written, you can not even use it to
improve the standard.  Users also can not use it in unexpected ways,
such as an art piece.

> 3. Limitations
> You may not directly or indirectly sell SWIFTStandards. You may not modify
> SWIFTStandards while maintaining “SWIFTStandards” as a reference for the
> modified standard. This License Agreement does not grant you a license to use
> any of SWIFT’s trademarks, except the trademark “SWIFTStandards” for the use as
> defined in Section 2.

I think this would preclude putting SWIFTStandards on a DVD and selling
it.  It is not directly selling SWIFTStandards, but it is indirectly
selling it.  

So I do not think it passes the DFSG.  It would be suitable for
non-free.  IANADD.  IANAL.  YMMV.

Cheers,
Walter Landry