Kermit Software Is Open Source

For decades, Kermit software has had a license that permitted widespread distribution and cooperative development, but with conditions that assured that Columbia University would receive adequate revenue from the software to fund the Kermit Project year to year. But when the Kermit Project was canceled by the University, Kermit software was converted to Open Source. As of 20 July 2011:

• C-Kermit 9.0 for Unix and VMS has been released with the Revised 3-Clause BSD License.
• Embedded Kermit (E-Kermit) has been published with Revised 3-Clause BSD license.
• Source code for Kermit 95 has been published with the Revised 3-Clause BSD license, except for certain modules or portions of modules which are the intellectual property of other companies. Code that already has an Open Source license other than the Revised 3-Clause BSD License will retain the license it already has. The K95 source code is here.
• Kermit 95 itself will not be rereleased by Columbia University as a binary installable application because it includes strong encryption capability, which is controlled by USA export law, and because it contains proprietary non-Columbia code. It will remain a commercial product. Single copies will continue to be available from the normal channels: Amazon.com, e-academy, and so on. Bulk Licenses may be purchased (without technical support) from Columbia Technology Ventures. To inquire about a bulk license, send email to techventures@columbia.edu, and reference “Kermit” in the subject line. Since the source code is published, the Open Source community (or anyone else) can take over development, maintenance, and support and deal with the export issues and issue releases if it wishes to.
• G-Kermit has always, and continues to have, the GNU Public License.
• All other software in the Kermit archive to which Columbia University holds the copyright should be considered to have the Revised 3-Clause BSD License. It is not practical to change thousands of source files, and in most cases it is not possible to make new builds of these old programs to replace the binaries in our archives. This category includes, in particular, MS-DOS Kermit, IBM Mainframe Kermit, DECSTEM-20 Kermit, CP/M-80 Kermit, and CP/M-86 Kermit, as well as older releases of C-Kermit for Data General AOS/VS, Stratus VOS, Plan 9, and other operating systems.
• Software contributed to the Kermit archive from elsewhere continues to have whatever copyright and license was affixed by the author. All of these programs, however, were contributed so they can be freely shared.

CLICK HERE to view current status.

Previous Licenses

THIS SECTION IS HISTORICAL ONLY.

Kermit 95, for Windows 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, and XP, and for OS/2, is commercial software; it must be purchased and licensed.

• CLICK HERE for Kermit 95 pricing and licensing terms.

Most other Kermit software, including MS-DOS Kermit and C-Kermit, has special terms that allow it to be obtained over the network for your own use, or for use within your institution or company, without cost or license but does not allow it to be resold or otherwise provided to customers or clients of commercial enterprises, or included with any product (including CD-ROM software collections), without the written permission of Columbia University. Exception: As of version 7.0, C-Kermit is automatically licensed for inclusion with Open Source operating system distributions such as Linux, OpenBSD, and FreeBSD:

• CLICK HERE to read the C-Kermit 7.0/8.0 license.

For other forms redistribution, see our:

• Statement of Commercial Policy (1 Jan 2002)

Also see:

• The Licensing Discussion.
• The C-Kermit FAQ: How Is C-Kermit Licensed?.
• Kermit - Embedding in Other Applications.

For further information, or send e-mail to kermit@kermitproject.org.

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Kermit - Licensing / Columbia University / kermit@kermitproject.org / 1 Jan 2002 — 27 September 2011