copperhead-rust-puthon

# SDUC License v1.1 (Small Developer Use Clause)

**Copyright © 2024–2026 Jesse Winghart**  
**License Version:** 1.1  
**Effective Date:** April 09, 2026  
**SPDX Identifier:** `LicenseRef-SDUC-1.1`

> **Important Notice:** The SDUC License is a *source-available, fair-code license*. It is **not** an open-source license as defined by the Open Source Initiative (OSI). It grants permissions with specific commercial restrictions and optional revenue-sharing pathways to support sustainable development while preserving access for small creators, educators, and non-profits.

---

## 0. Legal Identity, Representation & Anonymity

- **Pseudonym Validity:** The identifier `Tcoder-beelzebub` (also referenced as `beelzebub4883`) is a legally recognized pseudonym of the primary Copyright Holder, **Jesse Winghart**, residing in New York State, USA. Under New York General Business Law § 130 and U.S. copyright law (17 U.S.C. § 101), works attributed to this pseudonym carry full legal force, enforceability, and standing in contractual or intellectual property matters.

- **Collective Representation:** `The Infi Dev Team` is a collaborative collective of approximately twenty (20) contributors. Each member retains the irrevocable, individual right to remain anonymous in public documentation, legal proceedings, communications, or attribution displays. 

- **Authorized Representative:** Jesse Winghart, operating under the pseudonym `Tcoder-beelzebub`, is expressly designated as the sole legal representative for `The Infi Dev Team` in all matters pertaining to this license, including but not limited to: licensing enforcement, compliance administration, revenue collection, dispute resolution, and legal representation.

- **Binding Attribution:** All references to `Tcoder-beelzebub`, `beelzebub4883`, or `The Infi Dev Team` within this license are legally binding upon the natural persons and entities they represent. Attribution to these identifiers satisfies all credit obligations under this license.

---

## Overview

This license grants **non-commercial** permission to independent developers, hobbyists, educators, and non-profit organizations to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, and distribute the Software. Commercial use is permitted provided visible attribution is maintained. Projects generating **over $50,000 USD in annual gross revenue directly attributable to the product** that fail to maintain visible attribution must contribute a **5% revenue share** to the Copyright Holder. The license includes explicit allowances for educational, open-source, and charitable projects. All rights not expressly granted are reserved. The Software is provided **"AS IS"** without warranties of any kind.

**License Tiers at a Glance:**
| Annual Project Revenue | Attribution Required? | Revenue Share? | Classification |
|----------------------|----------------------|----------------|---------------|
| **< $5,000** | Encouraged, not required | No | Non-Commercial |
| **$5,000 – $50,000** | **Yes** (mandatory) | No | Commercial (Standard) |
| **> $50,000** + Attribution | **Yes** (mandatory) | No | Commercial (Compliant) |
| **> $50,000** + No Attribution | N/A (violation) | **Yes** (5% penalty) | Commercial (Non-Compliant) |

---

## 1. Permitted Use (Non-Commercial)

You may freely **use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies** of the Software for personal, hobbyist, or non-commercial creative projects, provided the following conditions are met:

### 1.1 Non-Commercial Revenue Threshold
Total annual revenue generated by the project—including but not limited to advertising, sponsorships, donations, merchandise sales, affiliate commissions, subscription fees, or indirect monetization—must remain **under $5,000 USD** (gross, before expenses).

### 1.2 Small Developer Context (Descriptive Only)
A "Small Developer" is descriptively defined as an individual or organization with fewer than ten (10) employees and less than $500,000 USD in annual gross revenue. **This classification is informational only** and does not override the revenue-based thresholds in Section 1.1. License obligations are determined solely by project revenue, not entity size.

### 1.3 Sublicensing & Downstream Distribution
Sublicensing or redistribution is permitted only if all downstream recipients are bound by identical or more restrictive SDUC License terms. You must provide a copy of this license with any distributed version of the Software.

### 1.4 Threshold Transition
If a project exceeds the $5,000 annual revenue threshold at any point, it must immediately comply with Section 2 (Commercial Use) requirements, including mandatory attribution. Revenue is calculated on a rolling 12-month basis.

---

## 2. Production Use (Commercial)

Commercial use of the Software is permitted in business, corporate, or revenue-generating environments under the following conditions:

### 2.1 Mandatory Attribution
All commercial deployments—whether customer-facing products, internal business tools, or revenue-supporting infrastructure—must visibly credit the original authors as specified in Section 5. Attribution is a **mandatory condition** for all commercial use, regardless of revenue volume.

### 2.2 Revenue Share: Trigger, Calculation & Compliance
- **Trigger Condition:** A 5% revenue share applies **only** when **both** conditions are met:  
  (a) Annual gross revenue **directly attributable** to the product or service using the Software exceeds **$50,000 USD**; **AND**  
  (b) Visible attribution per Section 5 was **not maintained** throughout the applicable reporting period.

- **Attribution Waives Revenue Share:** Projects maintaining compliant attribution at all times owe **no revenue share**, regardless of revenue volume.

- **Revenue Definition:** "Gross revenue directly attributable" means revenue generated from sales, subscriptions, licensing, or monetization features where the Software constitutes a material component of the delivered value. Internal cost-saving, infrastructure use, or non-critical backend functions do not count toward this threshold.

- **Reporting & Payment:**  
  - Revenue share payments are calculated per calendar or fiscal year.  
  - Payments must be remitted within **90 days** of the period's conclusion.  
  - Licensees may self-report using the standard form published at the Compliance Portal (Section 10.5).  
  - Payment methods and reconciliation details will be coordinated via the official compliance contact.

- **Audit Rights:** The Copyright Holder may request reasonable, good-faith verification of revenue reports. Audits must be: (a) scoped to the specific product using the Software; (b) time-bound to the relevant reporting period; and (c) conducted under a mutual non-disclosure agreement. Frivolous or harassing audit requests may be disputed via Section 9 appeals.

- **Statute of Limitations:** Claims for unpaid revenue share must be initiated within **three (3) years** of the close of the fiscal year in question.

- **Dispute Resolution:** Revenue calculation disputes shall first undergo good-faith negotiation. If unresolved within sixty (60) days, parties agree to binding mediation under the rules of the American Arbitration Association, seated in New York County, New York.

### 2.3 Internal vs. External Use
Both customer-facing products and internal business tools qualify as commercial use if they support revenue-generating operations, reduce operational costs in a revenue-producing business, or are deployed in a for-profit environment.

---

## 3. Exempt & Special Use Allowances

Certain non-commercial applications are explicitly permitted under streamlined terms. These are license grants, not statutory "fair use" exceptions under copyright law.

### 3.1 Educational Use
Accredited educational institutions, independent educators, coding bootcamps, research laboratories, and non-commercial tutorial platforms (including educational YouTube channels, blogs, or MOOCs) may use the Software freely for teaching, training, curriculum development, or academic research. Monetized educational platforms may use the Software but must comply with attribution requirements under Section 5.

### 3.2 Open-Source Contributions
Developers may incorporate the Software into open-source projects provided:
- The project remains non-commercial per Section 1.1 thresholds;
- Clear attribution to **Tcoder-beelzebub** and **The Infi Dev Team** is maintained in repository `README`, `LICENSE`, `NOTICE`, or dependency metadata files;
- Derived open-source works remain bound by non-commercial restrictions unless a separate commercial license is obtained.

### 3.3 Non-Profit & Charitable Work
Registered 501(c)(3) organizations, community initiatives, humanitarian projects, and other non-profit entities may use the Software without restriction for mission-aligned, non-monetized activities. Attribution is strongly encouraged but not strictly required if the Software constitutes a minor, non-critical component of the project (e.g., a utility script within a larger charitable platform).

---

## 4. Restrictions

The following actions are expressly prohibited:

### 4.1 Commercial Use Without Compliance
Using the Software commercially without providing required attribution (Section 5) or paying the applicable revenue share (Section 2.2) constitutes a material breach.

### 4.2 Standalone Resale
Selling, licensing, or redistributing the Software as a standalone product, or as the primary feature/value proposition of a commercial offering, is prohibited without explicit written permission from the Copyright Holder. "Standalone" means the Software constitutes >50% of the product's functional value or is marketed primarily based on the Software's capabilities.

### 4.3 Misrepresentation of Authorship
Claiming original authorship, removing or altering copyright notices, obscuring the origin of the Software, or presenting the Software as one's own independent creation in any public, distributed, or commercial context is prohibited.

### 4.4 Revenue Share Evasion
Intentionally structuring revenue streams, creating shell entities, splitting projects, or employing accounting practices designed to avoid the $50,000 threshold or attribution requirements constitutes bad-faith evasion and waives appeal rights under Section 9.

### 4.5 License Circumvention
Modifying the Software to disable, hide, bypass, or interfere with attribution notices, license validation, telemetry (if present), or other compliance mechanisms is strictly prohibited.

---

## 5. Attribution Requirements

All commercial, educational, and open-source uses must include visible, legible attribution referencing:  
**`Tcoder-beelzebub`** and **`The Infi Dev Team`**

### 5.1 Placement & Format Standards
- **Applications/Software (Desktop/Mobile):** Include in an `About`, `Credits`, `Settings`, or `Legal` screen. Alternatively, display on the splash/startup screen or persistent UI footer.
- **Websites/Web Applications:** Place on an `About`, `Footer`, `Credits`, or dedicated `Attribution` page accessible within two (2) clicks from the homepage.
- **CLI/Developer Tools:** Include in `--version`, `--help`, or `--license` output, or in a `CREDITS`/`NOTICE` file distributed with the software.
- **Documentation/Physical Products:** Include in user manuals, packaging, readmes, or accompanying materials.
- **Embedded/IoT/Constrained Environments:** If runtime attribution is technically infeasible, attribution in build logs, distribution manifests, firmware metadata, or accompanying documentation suffices (see Section 5.2).

### 5.2 Attribution Flexibility Clause
Attribution must be "visible and legible" but may be adapted to technical constraints:
- **Minimal UI Contexts:** Font size and placement requirements may be relaxed if the attribution remains machine-readable and human-accessible via a single click, command, or action.
- **Build-Time Constraints:** If runtime display is impossible, attribution in distribution metadata, package manifests, or version control history is acceptable.
- **Pre-Approval:** When in doubt, licensees may contact the Compliance Channel (Section 10.5) for pre-approval of alternative attribution formats. Good-faith attempts to comply will not be penalized.

### 5.3 Visibility & Duration
- Attribution must not be hidden behind paywalls, login screens, terms-of-service links, or inaccessible menus.
- Font size must match or exceed the smallest readable text in the same section or interface component.
- Attribution must remain visible and accessible for the entire lifecycle of the project or product, including archived or legacy versions.

---

## 6. Disclaimer & Limitation of Liability

> **THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT HOLDER, AUTHORS, CONTRIBUTORS, OR REPRESENTATIVES BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.**

This disclaimer applies to all users, regardless of jurisdiction. Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion of implied warranties or limitation of liability for incidental or consequential damages; in such cases, the above limitations may not apply to you.

---

## 7. Updates, Modifications & Derivative Works

You may modify, adapt, or create derivative works from the Software, subject to the following:

### 7.1 Retention of Notices
All original copyright notices, license text, attribution requirements, and disclaimer language must remain intact and unaltered in any modified distribution.

### 7.2 No Obscuring or Disabling
Modifications must not disable, remove, obscure, or interfere with attribution requirements, license validation mechanisms, or compliance-related functionality.

### 7.3 Clear Distinction of Changes
When distributing modified versions, you must clearly label which components are original (attributed to `Tcoder-beelzebub` / `The Infi Dev Team`) and which are user-generated modifications. A `CHANGELOG`, `CONTRIBUTORS`, or `MODIFICATIONS` file is recommended but not mandatory.

### 7.4 Licensing Continuity
Derivative works inherit all SDUC License terms. Commercial deployment of modified versions requires compliance with Section 2 and Section 5. You may not relicense SDUC-licensed code under incompatible terms without explicit permission.

### 7.5 Patch & Update Integration
User-created patches, plugins, or enhancements may be freely shared within non-commercial contexts. Commercial redistribution of modifications follows the same attribution and revenue-sharing rules as the original Software.

---

## 8. Redistribution & Bundling

Redistribution of the Software, whether original or modified, is permitted under these conditions:

### 8.1 Non-Commercial Redistribution
Free and unrestricted, provided:
- The full, unaltered text of this license is included with the distribution;
- Original copyright and attribution notices are preserved;
- No fees are charged for the Software itself (see 8.2).

### 8.2 Fee-Based Redistribution
Charging fees is permitted **only** to cover direct, documented distribution costs, such as:
- Physical media production, packaging, or shipping;
- Hosting, bandwidth, or CDN expenses;
- Reasonable compensation for curation, integration, or support services.

Fees may **not** be charged as profit for the Software itself. If fees exceed documented costs by >20%, the distribution is considered commercial and must comply with Section 2.

### 8.3 Bundling & Collections
The Software may be included in open-source collections, educational bundles, or commercial packages if:
- The SDUC License text is included and readily accessible;
- Attribution requirements are maintained per Section 5;
- Commercial bundles generating revenue comply with Section 2 thresholds and obligations.

### 8.4 Open-Source/Free Bundles
Inclusion in FOSS distributions, educational curricula, or non-commercial repositories is encouraged and fully permitted under non-commercial guidelines.

---

## 9. Termination, Compliance & Appeals

### 9.1 Automatic Termination
Rights granted under this license terminate immediately upon:
- Willful, repeated, or fraudulent violation of any material term;
- Revenue share evasion or license circumvention (Sections 4.4–4.5);
- Failure to cure a correctable violation within the allotted period (Section 9.2).

### 9.2 Cure Period for Correctable Violations
For unintentional or technical breaches (e.g., accidental attribution omission, threshold miscalculation):
- The Copyright Holder agrees to provide written notice (via email, repository issue, or compliance portal) specifying the violation;
- Licensee is granted a **30-day cure period** from notice receipt to remedy the violation;
- Successful cure reinstates full rights retroactively to the date of violation.

### 9.3 No Notice Required For
Written notice and cure periods are **not** required for: willful misrepresentation, revenue share evasion, license circumvention, or standalone resale violations.

### 9.4 Post-Termination Obligations
Upon termination, you must immediately:
- Cease all use, distribution, modification, and deployment of the Software;
- Delete all copies, including derivatives, from your systems, networks, and backups;
- Notify downstream recipients of the termination if you previously redistributed the Software.

### 9.5 Reinstatement
Terminated rights may only be reinstated with express written permission from the Copyright Holder. Reinstatement may be conditioned on payment of owed revenue share, corrective actions, or modified license terms.

### 9.6 Appeals & Compliance Review
- Licensees may request a compliance review by contacting the Compliance Channel (Section 10.5).
- Appeals must include documented evidence of corrective actions, good-faith efforts, or mitigating circumstances.
- Reviews are evaluated case-by-case; reinstatement is not guaranteed.
- Willful, repeated, or fraudulent violations waive appeal eligibility.

---

## 10. General Provisions

### 10.1 Governing Law & Jurisdiction
This license shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the **State of New York, USA**, without regard to its conflict of law principles. Any legal action or proceeding arising under this license shall be brought exclusively in the state or federal courts located in **New York County, New York**, and the parties consent to personal jurisdiction therein.

### 10.2 Severability & Reformation
If any provision of this license is held invalid, illegal, or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect. If any clause is held partially unenforceable, it shall be reformed to the minimum extent necessary to reflect the original intent and preserve enforceability.

### 10.3 License Updates & Versioning
- The Copyright Holder may release future versions of the SDUC License.  
- Existing deployments may continue under the version under which they were originally licensed unless the licensee explicitly opts into a newer version.  
- Updates will be published with clear versioning, changelogs, and migration guidance at the official repository or compliance portal.  
- No retroactive restrictions will be applied to previously compliant deployments.

### 10.4 Entire Agreement
This license, together with any published compliance guidelines, versioned addenda, or official clarifications incorporated by reference, constitutes the entire agreement between you and the Copyright Holder regarding the Software and supersedes all prior communications, representations, or agreements, whether oral or written.

### 10.5 Contact & Compliance Protocol
All official communications regarding this license shall be directed to:

> **Primary Compliance Channel**  
> Email: `license-compliance@infi-dev.org`  
> PGP Key ID: *[To be published on official repository]*  
>  
> **Fallback Postal Address**  
> Jesse Winghart, c/o Infi Dev Legal  
> [Redacted for Privacy]  
> New York, USA  
>  
> **Official Repository**  
> `[To be published: e.g., https://github.com/infi-dev/sduc-license]`

- **Response Timeline:** Non-urgent inquiries will receive acknowledgment within fourteen (14) business days. Revenue-share reports, compliance appeals, and legal notices receive priority review (five (5) business days acknowledgment).
- **Versioned Endpoints:** Contact details may be updated via license version releases. Historical versions remain valid for deployments under that version.
- **Good-Faith Effort:** If the primary channel is unavailable for >30 consecutive days due to technical or administrative failure, licensees may use reasonable alternative means (e.g., GitHub Issues on the official repository) to fulfill notice obligations, provided documentation of attempted contact is retained.

### 10.6 Force Majeure
Neither party shall be liable for failure or delay in performance under this license due to causes beyond reasonable control, including but not limited to: acts of God, war, terrorism, civil unrest, internet infrastructure failure, government action, or pandemic conditions. The affected party must provide prompt written notice and resume performance as soon as reasonably practicable.

### 10.7 Assignment
Licensee rights under this license are personal and non-transferable, except in connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of substantially all assets of the licensee's business, provided the successor entity expressly assumes all obligations under this license in writing. Any other assignment requires prior written consent from the Copyright Holder.

### 10.8 License Compatibility
The Software may be combined with code under other licenses. Where license terms conflict, the more restrictive terms govern the combined work. SDUC-licensed portions remain subject to this license regardless of surrounding code. You may not relicense SDUC-licensed code under terms that contradict its core restrictions (e.g., removing attribution requirements or revenue-share obligations).

### 10.9 Waiver
Failure by the Copyright Holder to enforce any provision of this license at any time does not constitute a waiver of that provision or any other provision. Waivers must be explicit, written, and signed by the Copyright Holder to be effective.

### 10.10 Statute of Limitations on Claims
Except for claims of willful misappropriation or fraud, any claim or cause of action arising under this license must be commenced within **three (3) years** after the claim accrued. This limitation applies to revenue-share claims, breach allegations, and attribution disputes.

### 10.11 No Third-Party Beneficiaries
This license is expressly for the benefit of the Copyright Holder and licensees only. No third party shall have any right to enforce any provision of this license.

### 10.12 Counterparts & Electronic Execution
This license may be executed in counterparts, including electronic or digital signatures, each of which shall be deemed an original and all of which together constitute one instrument. Acceptance of this license (e.g., by using, modifying, or distributing the Software) constitutes electronic execution.

---

## Acceptance & Acknowledgment

> **By using, copying, modifying, distributing, or deploying the Software, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by all terms and conditions of the SDUC License v1.1.**  
>  
> If you do not agree to these terms, you must not use, copy, modify, distribute, or deploy the Software in any manner.

---

**End of SDUC License v1.1**  
*Copyright © 2024–2026 Jesse Winghart (p/k/a Tcoder-beelzebub / beelzebub4883) and The Infi Dev Team. All rights reserved.*  
*License Version: 1.1 | SPDX: LicenseRef-SDUC-1.1 | Governing Law: New York, USA*

---

> ℹ️ **Implementation Notes for Developers**  
> - Include this full license text in a file named `LICENSE` or `LICENSE-SDUC` at the root of your project.  
> - For attribution, add to your `README.md`:  
>   ```md
>   ## Attribution  
>   This project uses software licensed under the SDUC License v1.1.  
>   Credit: Tcoder-beelzebub and The Infi Dev Team  
>   License: https://github.com/infi-dev/sduc-license/blob/main/LICENSE-SDUC-1.1  
>   ```  
> - For package managers, use the SPDX identifier `LicenseRef-SDUC-1.1` in metadata fields.  
> - Questions? Contact: `license-compliance@infi-dev.org`