Is the LPPL compatible with the corporate design of a university?

Question

I created a .cls file for the letterhead of my university. Can I write something like

This class is licensed under LaTeX Project Public License(LPPL) and only university staff is allowed to use it.

Or

are there any problems with LPPL + "only some people are allowed to use it"?

I've taken the view for my own letterhead package that the software used to create the letterhead can be LPPL and any restrictions on permitted use of the output of the package are up to the University to enforce. I only make the package available locally, however (it's not on CTAN). — Alan Munn, Aug 06 '13 at 22:27
I'd agree with @AlanMunn --- it's in the similar vein that, while many maths texts are created with LaTeX using freely available packages, it is the use and implementation of LaTeX and those packages that is protected under familiar means. The paint is free, the painting is not. I think it should be noted that the unauthorized use of the class to create documentation that looks completely official with such intent is simply fraud. (I am not a lawyer nor have I ever studied law, and I'm bad at the concept of advice in general.) — Sean Allred, Aug 06 '13 at 23:15
Just for info: Ctan license catalogue and Choosing an Open Source Software(OSS) license — texenthusiast, Aug 07 '13 at 04:25
I think this is just confusing. If you don't want other people use it then copyright it properly instead of restricting LPPL. — percusse, Aug 07 '13 at 07:40
For some more discussion supporting the view in my comment, see Is a PDF output from a LaTeX document, a "derived work" from the LPPL standard packages?. — Alan Munn, Aug 07 '13 at 18:40

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered Aug 07 '13 at 17:54

Probably yes. The LPPL says:

Activities other than distribution and/or modification of the Work are not covered by this license; they are outside its scope. In particular, the act of running the Work is not restricted and no requirements are made concerning any offers of support for the Work.

Thus receivers of your files are free to distribute them (as per the rest of the LPPL), you could restrict their usage of these files.

But I don't advise this.

Is the LPPL compatible with the corporate design of a university?

1 Answers1