Download the license

June 4, 2026 · View on GitHub

// SPDX-License-Identifier: MPL-2.0 // Copyright (c) Jonathan D.A. Jewell j.d.a.jewell@open.ac.uk = Palimpsest-MPL License (PMPL) :toc: macro :toclevels: 3

[.lead] A file-level copyleft license with ethical use, emotional lineage, and quantum-safe provenance.

Built on Mozilla Public License 2.0.

image:https://img.shields.io/badge/License-MPL_2.0-blue.svg[License: MPL-2.0,link="https://opensource.org/licenses/MPL-2.0"] image:https://img.shields.io/badge/Status-Stable-green.svg[Status: Stable] image:https://img.shields.io/badge/Version-1.0-orange.svg[Version: 1.0]

toc::[]

'''

== 🚀 Current Version: v1.0 (January 2025)

[.text-center]

The v1.0 license is STABLE and ready for production use.

📄 License Text: link:v1.0/LICENSE.txt[v1.0/LICENSE.txt] + 📚 Full Documentation: link:v1.0/README.adoc[v1.0/README.adoc] + ⚡ Quick Start: link:v1.0/docs/QUICK-START.adoc[Get started in 5 minutes] + 🔧 SPDX Identifier: PMPL-1.0-or-later

'''

== Quick Start

Get PMPL v1.0 into your project right now:

[source,bash]

Download the license

curl -O https://raw.githubusercontent.com/hyperpolymath/palimpsest-license/main/v1.0/LICENSE.txt mv LICENSE.txt LICENSE

Add SPDX headers to your source files

echo "// SPDX-License-Identifier: PMPL-1.0-or-later" >> your-file.js echo "// SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2025 Your Name" >> your-file.js

That's it! Your project now uses PMPL v1.0.

For detailed instructions, see link:v1.0/docs/QUICK-START.adoc[].

== What is PMPL?

The Palimpsest-MPL License extends the proven Mozilla Public License 2.0 with three key additions:

[cols="1,3"] |=== | Feature | Description

| 🌍 Ethical Use Guidelines (Exhibit A) | A structured framework for responsible use, including cultural sensitivity, community obligations, and narrative respect.

| 🔐 Quantum-Safe Provenance (Exhibit B) | Optional post-quantum cryptographic signatures for long-term attribution and lineage integrity.

| 💭 Emotional Lineage Protection | Recognition that creative works carry cultural, symbolic, and narrative meaning beyond mere code or text. |===

=== Designed For

  • ✅ Open-source software
  • ✅ Creative works and art
  • ✅ Research artifacts and papers
  • ✅ Datasets and training corpora
  • ✅ Machine learning models
  • ✅ Provenance-sensitive cultural materials

=== AI Training: Permitted with Attribution

PMPL explicitly permits use in AI training datasets, with clear attribution obligations for non-interpretive systems.

== Why PMPL?

[quote]

Like a palimpsest manuscript where each layer builds upon what came before, this license recognizes that creative works carry history, context, and meaning that transcend mere code or text.

Traditional licenses focus only on copyright and patents. PMPL adds:

  • Cultural context - Honor the narrative and symbolic weight of works
  • Attribution chains - Cryptographic provenance for long-term lineage
  • Ethical framework - Structured guidance beyond "don't be evil"
  • Future-proof crypto - Post-quantum signatures protect attribution for decades

== Documentation

[cols="2,5"] |=== | Document | Description

| link:v1.0/README.adoc[v1.0 Overview] | Complete guide to the current version

| link:v1.0/docs/QUICK-START.adoc[Quick Start Guide] | Get up and running in 5 minutes

| link:docs/FAQ.md[FAQ] | Common questions answered

| link:docs/INTEGRATION.md[Integration Guide] | CI/CD, package managers, SPDX tooling

| link:legal/README.adoc[Legal Resources] | Jurisdictional frameworks, pro bono contacts

| link:GOVERNANCE.adoc[Governance] | Palimpsest Stewardship Council structure

| link:CHANGELOG.adoc[Changelog] | Version history and evolution |===

== Tooling

PMPL includes command-line tools for provenance and compliance:

[cols="2,5"] |=== | Tool | Purpose

| pmpl-sign | Create quantum-safe signatures for your files

| pmpl-verify | Verify provenance metadata and signature chains

| pmpl-audit | Audit repositories for PMPL compliance and SPDX correctness |===

Build instructions: link:tools/README.adoc[]

Parser and advanced tools: The Palimpsest Plasma project provides a ReScript-based license parser. See: https://github.com/hyperpolymath/palimpsest-plasma

== Compatibility

PMPL v1.0 is compatible with:

  • ✅ MIT License
  • ✅ BSD-2-Clause / BSD-3-Clause
  • ✅ Apache-2.0
  • ✅ PMPL-1.0-or-later
  • ✅ LGPL-2.1 or later
  • ✅ GPL-2.0 or later (via secondary license mechanism)

See link:v1.0/docs/COMPATIBILITY.adoc[] for detailed compatibility matrix.

== Repository Structure

palimpsest-license/ ├── v1.0/ ← CURRENT VERSION (START HERE!) │ ├── LICENSE.txt ← The actual license text │ ├── README.adoc ← v1.0 documentation hub │ ├── docs/ ← Guides, FAQ, integration │ ├── exhibits/ ← Exhibit A & B full text │ ├── examples/ ← Sample implementations │ └── tools/ ← Links to tooling ├── legal/ ← Legal resources │ ├── PALIMPSEST-MPL-1.0.txt │ ├── exhibits/ │ ├── frameworks/ ← Jurisdictional analysis │ └── translations/ ├── tools/ ← Rust tooling (sign, verify, audit) ├── docs/ ← Cross-version documentation ├── spec/ ← Technical specifications ├── research/ ← Research papers and notes ├── ARCHIVE/ ← Legacy v0.x materials (historical only) │ ├── v0.3/ │ └── v0.4/ └── ...

== Legal Resources

PMPL is governed by Dutch law (primary jurisdiction), with supporting analysis for:

  • 🇳🇱 Netherlands
  • 🇬🇧 United Kingdom (England & Wales, Scotland)
  • 🇪🇺 European Union
  • 🇺🇸 United States

The legal/ directory includes:

  • Pro bono organization contacts
  • Jurisdictional frameworks
  • Legal strategy documents
  • Translation resources
  • Honest broker candidates

See link:legal/README.adoc[] for full details.

== Governance

PMPL is maintained by the Palimpsest Stewardship Council, consisting of:

  • 3 Creator Representatives
  • 2 Legal Experts
  • 1 Technologist
  • 1 Cultural Heritage Advocate

The Council oversees license evolution, interpretive guidance, dispute mediation, and the versioning process.

See link:GOVERNANCE.adoc[] and link:VERSIONING.adoc[] for details.

== Contributing

We welcome contributions to:

  • 📝 Documentation improvements
  • 🔧 Tooling enhancements
  • 🔬 Research and analysis
  • 🌍 Translations

Before contributing:

  1. Read link:CONTRIBUTING.adoc[]
  2. Open an issue for proposals
  3. Join https://github.com/hyperpolymath/palimpsest-license/discussions[GitHub Discussions]

Note: Changes to the license text follow a formal review process through the Stewardship Council.

== Version History

[cols="1,1,4"] |=== | Version | Status | Notes

| v1.0 | ✅ STABLE | Current production version (January 2025). Simplified structure, fully reviewed, SPDX compliant.

| v0.4 | 🗄️ Archived | Final draft version. See link:ARCHIVE/v0.4/[]

| v0.3 | 🗄️ Archived | Early draft. See link:ARCHIVE/v0.3/[] |===

⚠️ Legacy Materials: All v0.x materials in ARCHIVE/, GUIDES_v0.4/, METADATA_v0.4/, and TOOLKIT_v0.4/ are retained for historical reference only. Do not use these for new projects.

Use v1.0 for all new work.

== License of This Repository

This repository is licensed under:

SPDX-License-Identifier: PMPL-1.0-or-later SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2025 Palimpsest Stewardship Council

The full license text is in link:v1.0/LICENSE.txt[].

== Links

== Questions?

'''

[.text-center] Ready to get started? → link:v1.0/docs/QUICK-START.adoc[Quick Start Guide]

== Architecture

See link:TOPOLOGY.md[TOPOLOGY.md] for a visual architecture map and completion dashboard.