Add a LICENSE for the compiler/runtime source (only asset licenses exist) #36

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opened 2026-08-30 12:50:38 +02:00 by orkun · 1 comment

orkun commented

2026-08-30 12:50:38 +02:00

Owner

Problem

There is no root LICENSE file for the project. The only license files in the
tree are the bundled Kenney asset licenses
(assets/kenney/*/License.txt), which cover the art, not the Ludic
compiler/runtime source.

Without a license, the code is "all rights reserved" by default — nobody can
legally use, fork, or contribute to it, which is a hard blocker for an
open-source language project and for anyone evaluating it.

Proposal

Choose and add a top-level LICENSE (e.g. MIT / Apache-2.0 / MPL-2.0 —
maintainer's call; Apache-2.0 is common for languages/compilers for its patent
grant).
Add an SPDX identifier / short license note to the README.
Keep the CC0 Kenney art licenses where they are and note the asset licensing
separately (art is third-party CC0, code is your chosen license).

Acceptance criteria

Root LICENSE added.
README states the license and clarifies asset vs. code licensing.

Found during the repository-cleanup / DX pass.

## Problem There is **no root `LICENSE` file** for the project. The only license files in the tree are the bundled Kenney asset licenses (`assets/kenney/*/License.txt`), which cover the art, **not the Ludic compiler/runtime source**. Without a license, the code is "all rights reserved" by default — nobody can legally use, fork, or contribute to it, which is a hard blocker for an open-source language project and for anyone evaluating it. ## Proposal - Choose and add a top-level `LICENSE` (e.g. MIT / Apache-2.0 / MPL-2.0 — maintainer's call; Apache-2.0 is common for languages/compilers for its patent grant). - Add an SPDX identifier / short license note to the README. - Keep the CC0 Kenney art licenses where they are and note the asset licensing separately (art is third-party CC0, code is your chosen license). ## Acceptance criteria - [ ] Root `LICENSE` added. - [ ] README states the license and clarifies asset vs. code licensing. Found during the repository-cleanup / DX pass.

orkun added the

priority:high

area:docs

area:repo

labels 2026-08-30 12:50:38 +02:00

orkun referenced this issue from a commit

2026-08-30 15:46:48 +02:00

docs: add Apache-2.0 LICENSE for the compiler/runtime source

orkun closed this issue

2026-08-30 15:46:48 +02:00

orkun commented

2026-08-30 15:47:57 +02:00

Author

Owner

Done in 0bc5d76.

Added a root LICENSE: Apache-2.0 — permissive with the patent grant that suits a language/compiler (as the issue suggested).
README gained a License section stating SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0 and clarifying that code (Apache-2.0) and the third-party CC0 Kenney art are licensed separately; the per-pack assets/kenney/*/License.txt files stay put.

Both acceptance criteria met.

Done in 0bc5d76. - Added a root `LICENSE`: **Apache-2.0** — permissive with the patent grant that suits a language/compiler (as the issue suggested). - README gained a License section stating `SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0` and clarifying that code (Apache-2.0) and the third-party CC0 Kenney art are licensed separately; the per-pack `assets/kenney/*/License.txt` files stay put. Both acceptance criteria met.