Add an OSI license so the project can apply for NLnet/EU grants

[walkonwayvs]

I came across NLnet's Restack grant call and it made me think of DIN right away. It looks like a strong fit for the work you're doing.

The one thing in the way: from the outside the repo has an "Open Source" badge but no LICENSE file, which legally leaves the code all-rights-reserved. If keeping it unlicensed is intentional, no worries. If it just hasn't gotten to yet, there's a time-sensitive reason to sort it soon.

NLnet's Restack fund, part of the EU's Open Internet Stack, opens its next call on Sep 3 with a Nov 3 deadline. It gives equity-free grants up to €50k to open-source infrastructure projects. Privacy tech, decentralized systems, and security tooling all qualify, which is exactly what DIN is. One of their hard requirements is that the work is under a recognized open-source license. Details here: https://nlnet.nl/restack/

Without a license, nobody can apply, not the core team and not contributors like me who'd want to propose funded work on the privacy/DP layer. Adding one opens that door for everyone.

I can have a PR up adding an Apache-2.0 LICENSE within a day if the team's on board. Just let me know which license you'd prefer and I'll get it in.

[abrahamnash]

Thanks for flagging this — and for pointing us toward the NLnet Restack call. It looks like a potentially strong fit for DIN.

The missing LICENSE file is an oversight, and we agree it’s something we should address. Apache-2.0 works for us, so please feel free to open the PR. We’ll review and merge it once everything looks good.

Thanks as well for offering to contribute around the privacy/DP layer. The NLnet opportunity sounds worth exploring.

[walkonwayvs]

Sweet thanks man! PR is up: #107 — ready to merge whenever, and happy to change the copyright line or license if you'd prefer.

I'd love to keep helping out on the project as it moves along. I've got the DP-layer follow-ups from the governance review tracked in #99, and I'm glad to take any of them on as PRs whenever the team's ready.

[walkonwayvs]

Hey man just a heads up on #107: it merged into develop, and main is the default branch, so the repo page still shows no license. Anyone looking at the project sees an unlicensed repo until develop promotes to main.

Not urgent if a release is coming soon. If it isn't, I can open a second PR putting the same file on main.

[abrahamnash]

Thanks @walkonwayvs, I appreciate you catching the main gap. Go ahead and open the PR for main, and we'll merge it quickly.

And yes, I’m happy for you to keep contributing. #99 is a solid breakdown of the DP review findings, and starting with F1/F3 (the sensitivity plumbing) makes sense given the priority order from your review. Go ahead whenever you’re ready.

[walkonwayvs]

PR is up: #108. Same file as #107, byte-identical, based on main.

Saw #90 went in and the review landed at Documentation/technical/audits/. I'll start on F1/F3 next.

[umermjd11]

Closing — done. Apache-2.0 LICENSE is live on both main and develop, as agreed above. DIN now qualifies on the license requirement for NLnet Restack (and any other OSI-license-gated grant/funding call).

[walkonwayvs]

Quick correction on this one. I went back to NLnet's Restack page to start an application and the call rules out AI-related projects unless they already have over 1 million active users. DIN describes itself as infrastructure for an AI commons, so as far as I can tell it falls under that exclusion and won't qualify for Restack, licence or not.

Sorry guys totally my fault on that one. I should have caught it when I first posted this. I've dropped my own application, and I'm posting this so nobody on the team spends time on a Restack proposal.

The Apache-2.0 licence still counts for other grants that require an open-source licence.

Scope section here: https://nlnet.nl/restack/

[abrahamnash]

Thanks @walkonwayvs, no apology needed. Catching this before anyone spent days on a proposal is exactly the kind of diligence we value. I've confirmed it on the Restack page: AI-related projects are out of scope unless they already have over 1 million active users.

The main outcome of this thread still stands: thanks to you, DIN is properly Apache-2.0 licensed on both branches, which keeps us eligible for every other grant that requires an open-source licence.

Thank you too for all your work on the DP side: the review, plus #90, #109 and #119, all merged. If you spot other funding calls that fit, especially ones covering privacy or decentralised AI, please keep sharing them here.

[walkonwayvs]

Sounds good man cheers! Happy to help.