A software license that developers can use to prohibit the use of their code by applications or companies that threaten to accelerate climate change through fossil fuel extraction.
A software license that developers can use to prohibit the use of their code by applications or companies that threaten to accelerate climate change through fossil fuel extraction.
You make a good point there, it does seem quite ineffectual on closer examination.
I’m still enamoured with the idea that we can take a stance, even on a repo-level (ecological thinking shouldn’t somehow be de-coupled from source code as a default?). What do you think could be more effective on a software/repo/licensing level instead?
I don’t think it makes sense to do very much. Obviously where possible if it’s relevant to the software being developed, promote environmentally friendly practices. Choose service providers committed to the environment (do those exist?). There are certainly things like Bitcoin which have some very serious ethical concerns as they depend on enormous computation, those should probably be avoided (I say probably because I’d imagine it’s more complicated than I make it seem).
I would compare it to something like racism or homophobia. Obviously you won’t let people contribute or be involved in your community or give them custom if they are homophobic or racist, but you also won’t prevent them from using your software…