The COSS Approach: A New Standard for Trust and Interoperability

To address the challenges of vendor lock-in, fragmentation, and lack of standardization, the Contriboss (COSS) initiative introduces a distinct and transparent approach. Our model is built on two core pillars: empowering widespread use of code through permissive licensing, and establishing a clear mark of trust and neutrality through the COSS Brand Standard.

1. Permissive Licensing for Code: Fostering Innovation and Adoption At the heart of any COSS-branded project is software code that is freely available and highly permissive. We recommend and encourage the use of the MIT License (or similarly permissive OSI-approved licenses) for the underlying codebase of COSS-branded projects.

This ensures:

Freedom to Use and Modify: Anyone can use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the software.

Broad Compatibility: Permissive licenses like MIT are compatible with a vast range of other open source and commercial licenses, allowing COSS-compliant components to be integrated into diverse projects and ecosystems.

No Viral Obligations: Unlike some copyleft licenses, the MIT license does not require derivative works to adopt the same license, offering maximum flexibility to developers and organizations.

By decoupling the code’s usage rights from the COSS principles, we encourage the widest possible adoption and innovation with the software itself.

2. The COSS Brand Standard: A Mark of Principle and Neutrality While the code is permissively licensed, the COSS Mark (the name “COSS” and its associated logos) serves as a distinct brand and certification. A project can only use the COSS Mark if it demonstrably adheres to the COSS Brand Principles. These principles are designed to ensure:

Universal Access: Software is available to all, without discriminatory restrictions.

Anti-Vendor Lock-in & Neutral Naming: Core functionality is vendor-neutral, and core components use standardized, non-proprietary names.

True Interoperability: Through optional dependencies and a commitment to ecosystem compatibility.

Standardization through Modular Design: Encouraging components built as well-defined, composable building blocks.

Ethical Contributions: Ensuring that contributions to COSS-branded projects align with the initiative’s goals of neutrality and openness.

The COSS Mark is the “message”: It signals to users, developers, and organizations that a project has committed to these principles of fairness, openness, and standardization. It’s a promise that the project prioritizes the health of the ecosystem and the freedom of its users over narrow vendor interests.

3. How It Works Together: Freedom for Code, Principles for the Brand The COSS approach means:

Anyone can fork the code of a COSS-branded project and use it as they see fit, thanks to its permissive license.

However, if that fork is modified in a way that no longer adheres to the COSS Brand Principles (e.g., by introducing vendor lock-in), it cannot use the COSS Mark or present itself as a COSS-compliant project.

This dual approach allows for maximum code reuse and innovation while ensuring that the COSS name remains a reliable indicator of projects that are genuinely committed to neutrality and open standards. The COSS Stewardship Body oversees the COSS Brand Usage Guidelines and the integrity of the COSS Mark.

By focusing on a brand standard rather than restrictive software licensing for its core principles, COSS aims to foster a powerful movement towards a more trustworthy, interoperable, and innovative digital future.