Publications by topic: LaTeX Project Public License (LPPL)

The LPPL is the license under which the core LaTeX software (and the majority of the contributed package in the LaTeX World) is distributed. The license text and additional information is found on the LPPL page of this website. The article below puts the LPPL into historical perspective and explains how and why it evolved the way it did.

Reflections on the history of the LaTeX Project Public License (LPPL) - A software license for LaTeX and more

• Frank Mittelbach
• Published paper, TUGboat volume 32, number 1, 2011
• Keywords: Licenses, LaTeX Project Public License, LPPL, LaTeX history

In August 2010 the LaTeX Project Public License (LPPL) was finally listed on the Open Source Initiative (OSI) web page as a free software license. This marks the endpoint of a long set of discussions around the TeX community’s predominant license. This article reflects on the history of the license; the way it came about and the reasons for its development and content. It explains why it was chosen even though alternative free licenses have been available at least from 1990 onwards. It appeared in the anniversary TUGboat issue No.100, TUGboat volume 32, number 1.