Your Code, Your Choice
The Cursy License Spectrum provides a flexible, proprietary licensing framework designed to protect indie developers and designers while offering varying levels of openness. Unlike traditional open-source licenses that force code sharing, the Cursy License Spectrum empowers creators to choose their level of protection—from permissive fair use to fully closed source.
Philosophy
"Your Code, Your Choice"
The Cursy License Spectrum recognizes that not all software should be open source. Indie developers deserve protection for their intellectual property while still having options for collaboration, education, and commercial licensing.
Cursy Fair Use (CFU)
Most Permissive | Similar to MIT but Proprietary-Friendly
Permissions
- ✅ Use, modify, and distribute
- ✅ Commercial use allowed
- ✅ Private use allowed
- ✅ Patent use granted
Conditions
- ⚠️ Attribution required (must include copyright notice and license)
- ⚠️ License and copyright notice must be included in all copies
- ⚠️ No warranty provided
Use Case: When you want maximum adoption but still require attribution and maintain copyright control.
Cursy Shared (CS)
Permissive with Attribution | Similar to Apache but More Flexible
Permissions
- ✅ Use and modify
- ✅ Distribute with attribution
- ✅ Private use allowed
- ✅ Educational use allowed
Conditions
- ⚠️ Attribution required (must include copyright notice, license, and changes)
- ⚠️ Modified files must include notice of changes
- ⚠️ Commercial use requires explicit permission
- ⚠️ No warranty provided
Use Case: When you want to allow modifications but require credit and control commercial use.
Cursy Protected (CP)
Moderate Protection | Educational-Friendly with Commercial Control
Permissions
- ✅ Personal/educational use free
- ✅ View source code
- ✅ Modify for personal/educational use
- ✅ Distribute modifications with attribution
Conditions
- ⚠️ Commercial use requires separate license
- ⚠️ Modifications must be shared back (if distributed)
- ⚠️ No redistribution of original without permission
- ⚠️ Attribution required
Use Case: When you want to support education and personal use while maintaining commercial control.
Cursy Restricted (CR)
Strong Protection | View-Only with Limited Modification
Permissions
- ✅ View source code
- ✅ Use binary/compiled version
- ✅ Personal/educational use (limited)
Conditions
- ❌ No modification without explicit permission
- ❌ No redistribution without license
- ❌ Commercial use requires separate license
- ❌ Source code access is view-only (no modification rights)
Use Case: When you want to allow code inspection but prevent modification and unauthorized distribution.
Cursy Closed (CC)
Maximum Protection | Binary-Only Distribution
Permissions
- ✅ Use binary/compiled version (as specified in license)
- ✅ Personal use (if specified in license)
Conditions
- ❌ No source code access
- ❌ No modification
- ❌ No redistribution
- ❌ Commercial use requires separate license
- ❌ Full copyright protection
Use Case: When you need maximum protection for proprietary software, enterprise solutions, or commercial products.
License Selection Guide
Choose Cursy Fair Use if:
- You want maximum adoption and community contribution
- Attribution is sufficient protection
- You're comfortable with others modifying your code
- You want a permissive license similar to MIT
Choose Cursy Shared if:
- You want to allow modifications but control commercial use
- You need attribution and change tracking
- You want flexibility for commercial licensing
- You're building a community around your project
Choose Cursy Protected if:
- You want to support education while protecting commercial interests
- You're okay with personal/educational modifications
- You need commercial licensing control
- You want to balance openness with protection
Choose Cursy Restricted if:
- You want to allow code inspection but prevent modification
- You need strong commercial protection
- You want to prevent unauthorized distribution
- You're building proprietary tools with view-only access
Choose Cursy Closed if:
- You need maximum IP protection
- You're building enterprise/commercial software
- Source code must remain completely private
- You're licensing to specific clients/users
License Enforcement
Inspired Digital Foundation Oversight
- The Foundation maintains a registry of Cursy-licensed projects
- Provides legal framework for license enforcement
- Offers dispute resolution services
- Maintains license compliance database
Violation Reporting
- Report violations through Cursy Repo platform
- Foundation reviews and takes appropriate action
- Legal support available for serious violations
- Community-driven compliance monitoring
License Compatibility
Can I combine Cursy-licensed code with:
- Open Source (MIT/Apache): Yes, with Cursy Fair Use or Cursy Shared
- GPL: Generally incompatible (check specific license)
- Other Cursy Licenses: Depends on level (Fair Use/Shared can combine)
- Proprietary: Yes, with appropriate Cursy level
Ready to Choose Your License?
Download ready-to-use license templates for your project.