How Validos Examines Software Packages?

In Validos it has been decided that in early stages focus is on legal validation of software components. Legal knowledge is typically missing from open source projects and it is thereby needed the most. One possible further development plan is adding technical validation (including data protection) in to the same operations model. There are also other possibilities.

A starting point for the cooperation is that all the validations are made on request of the members. That means that the members request validations according to their needs and they can also decide how thoroughly those are made. The results are published for all the members.

Examinations made in validation can be divided in to four categories.

• Attachment of the software package to the so called main license
• Subcomponents included in the software package
• Going through the source code of the software package with a tool
• Documenting the authors and the holders of the copyrights

A report and use instructions for the use of the software package in a company are written on the base of the examination. Essential part of the use instructions are the combined requirements of the different licenses included in the package for redistribution of the package (eighter with or without modifications; as such or as a part of a bigger whole). The instructions contain among other things lists of license conditions and other texts that should be included to the distribution or to the documentation.

In addition the examined packages are filed and the validation process is documented in other ways.

The more members Validos has, the more useful the co-operation is for its members. Therefore, Validos is open for new companies and societies. Contact us!