31 October 2022

Open Source Software has seen mass adoption in the last decade to potentially form the majority of software today. It is realised through legal instruments, private law agreements, licences, governance, and community norms all of which lead to the sharing of Intellectual Property and economic and commercial disruption in technology. Whilst the adoption of Open Source has happened at scale the necessary user understanding of its curation on both a technical and governance level has not kept pace with its adoption.  

Written by world leading Open Source and legal experts, this new edition of Open Source Law, Policy and Practice edited by Amanda Brock,  is fully updated to give a  global focus on technology, legal and market changes over the last decade. The book is available for download, Open Access, as well as in printed format by Oxford University Press at this OUP link.

The work delivers an in-depth examination of the community, legal, economic and commercial structures relating to the usage and exploitation of Open Source, enabling readers to understand the legal environment within which Open Source operates and what is required for its appropriate governance and curation in enterprise and public sector.  

This is achieved by focusing on three main areas; intellectual property rights; the governance of Open Source; and the business and economic impacts.

From the building of Community to the impact of Standards, Standard Essential Patents and FRAND licensing on Open Source Software, to the evolution of and management of Open Source Program Offices the book tackles areas for the first time in a publication, alongside its survey of  the more traditional legal areas such as contribution agreements, Open Source licensing, litigation patents, trademarks and competition law, this book is a unique and wide ranging volume which will form an invaluable resource.

Its utility will span those using it as an educational text, running Open Source Program Offices or wanting to understand better the legal and policy issues of Open Source. 

The Vietsch Foundation has stepped up to enabling users of the book to access it via Open Access for non commercial usage and also supported the authors by paying for a number of copies to be given away at Open Source Software conferences over the next 12 months.

Editor Amanda Brock is the CEO of OpenUK, the organisation for the business of Open Source in the UK, a member of a number of Open Source and Open Standards Boards, keynote speaker and author. A recognised expert herself, she  is joined by 25 other contributors, each with deep expertise in a particular area of Open Source Software, discussing their area of specialisation.`A book launch panel and book signing are taking place in Raleigh, North Carolina on 1 November, https://2022.allthingsopen.org/sessions/open-source-law-policy-and-practice-book-panel/