Public Documentation License

FAQ: Public Documentation License

• What is the Public Documentation License?
• What is new in PDL v1.01?
• Why was it updated?
• What kinds of documents can use the PDL v1.01?
• Where can I find the license and more information?

What is the Public Documentation License?

PDL is the Public Documentation License. It is a separate documentation license to address the need for a license that allows Open Source communities to collaborate on documentation that is not intended for inclusion or integration in the project code base or in packaged distributions (e.g., "product").

What is new in PDL v1.01?

The PDL v1.01 adds language restricting trademark usage to the PDL v1.0 that is used by OpenOffice.org.

Why was it updated?

The Public Documentation License v1.0 does not explicitly remove trademark rights from the rights granted by the license. Section 5.9 in v1.01 was added for this purpose. The CDDL has a similar provision.

What kinds of documents can use the PDL v1.01?

The PDL v1.01 was created to allow Open Source communities to collaborate on documentation available separately from an open source project or product. For example:

• Technical manuals not distributed with the code,
• Presentation materials that support the OpenSolaris project,
• Software development framework documents,
• Technical articles.

Where can I find the license and more information?

See OpenSolaris Documentation License Information for the license text and additional information about documentation that is covered under the CDDL.

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