This page describes the ideas about the license on the ArgoUML software and User Manual and also the change to the Eclipse Public License (EPL).
License Change to EPL
The old BSD license that we use is so old, it no longer qualifies as an open source license. It is replaced by the New or Simplified BSD License.
Why EPL?
The Eclipse Public License is a modern Open-Source license that adheres to the old ArgoUML ideas of allowing companies to make and market their additions. With this License the Eclipse platform has grown to a strong community with a lot of momentum.
With the vision of eventually changing the old awt-based UI to an Eclipse based UI (the work started in the ArgoEclipse project) and the use of the UML2/EMF based model as a requirement for UML 2.* (work is under way), the ArgoUML project is approaching the Eclipse platform technically from several directions.
Changing to EPL will hopefully allow the ArgoUML project to benefit also from the knowledge on legal matters built up around the Eclipse project. Especially in the area of cooperation with companies this experience could be very useful.
How the change is done
New files are created with the EPL License.
Old files are updated with the EPL License without removing the BSD License.
See the details in the When Writing Java Code Java coding standards.