Frequently Asked Questions Posted December 8th, 2013 by Michael Seemann. How do I use the WTFPDL? Step 1. Download or copy/paste the full text of the WTFPDL and distribute it with your work. A common file name for the license file is COPYING. If the work features multiple licenses, it is usual to call the file COPYING.WTFPDL. Step 2. Add the following wording to your copyright statements: Copyright © 2000 Your Name <your@address> This work is free. You can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the Do What The Fuck You Want To Public Digital License, as published by Michael Seemann. See the COPYING file for more details. If for practical reasons you cannot provide a separate COPYING file, you can copy/paste the license text under the above mention. Alternatively, you can link to this website: Copyright © 2000 Your Name <your@address> This work is free. You can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the Do What The Fuck You Want To Public Digital License, as published by Michael Seemann. See http://www.WTFPDL.net/ for more details. Can you explain the WTFPDL terms to me? The WTFPDL has basically three parts: 1. DO WHAT THE FUCK YOU WANT TO PUBLIC DIGITAL LICENSE Version 1, December 2013 2. Copyright (C) 2013 Michael Seemann Everyone is permitted to copy and distribute verbatim or modified copies of this license document, and changing it is allowed as long as the name is changed. 3. DO WHAT THE FUCK YOU WANT TO PUBLIC DIGITAL LICENSE TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR COPYING, DISTRIBUTION AND MODIFICATION 0. You just DO WHAT THE FUCK YOU WANT TO IN DIGITAL FORM. This is how the license must be read: 1. This is the name and version of the license. 2. These are the rules for the license; they mean Michael Seemann wrote the license, and you can modify it if you want, you just cannot call your version the WTFPDL. 3. These are the rules for the work; they mean you just DO WHAT THE FUCK YOU WANT TO IN DIGITAL FORM. Is the WTFPDL really free if I cannot change the name of the software? You can change the name of the software. Read the previous FAQ entry again. Is the WTFPDL a valid license? Although the validity of the WTFPDL has not been tested in courts, it will hopefully be widely accepted as a valid license. The original WTFPL already is. Every major Linux distribution (Debian, Fedora, Arch, Gentoo, etc.) ships software licensed under the WTFPL version 1 or 2 - the license I've been copying from. Why is there no “no warranty” clause? The WTFPDL is an all-purpose license and does not cover only computer programs; it can be used for artwork, documentation and so on. As such, it only covers copying, distribution and modification. If you want to add a no warranty clause for a program, you may use the following wording in your source code: /* This program is free software. It comes without any warranty, to * the extent permitted by applicable law. You can redistribute it * and/or modify it under the terms of the Do What The Fuck You Want * To Public Digital License, Version 1, as published by Michael Seemann. See * http://www.WTFPDL.net/ for more details. */ Can I take the licened text/music/code and publish a print version, press a cd or hardwire it on an actual circuit board? No. Isn’t this license basically public domain? No. Because we restrict the publishing rights in physical form, this is not public domain. Can’t you change the wording? It’s inappropriate / childish / not corporate-compliant. You know what? Fuck your stance on profanity. Fuck your priorities in life. The WTFPDL is about fucking freedom and we mean it. Freedom means freedom to copy and modify and share works of art and science with the rest of mankind, but also freedom to be gay and marry and have crazy gay sex, freedom to have tattoos, freedom to say there is no God, freedom to take the pill, freedom to have an abortion. People die for being gay or atheists. Don’t tell me that there is something sacred enough that it must be protected from the mere existence of the word “fuck”. If the F in WTFPDL offends you, then fuck you and your beliefs. Triple fuck you. Who uses the WTFPDL? The WTFPDL on this website is Version 1 of the WTFPDL was written by Michael Seemann, who will use it for his upcoming book. Can I make money with my software using the WTFPDL? Yes. By the way, with the WTFPDL, can I also… Oh but yes, of course you can, as long as the product stays digital. But can I… Yes you can. In the digital realm.