This is a homegrown, short and simple, very permissive license designed for use with software, only requiring preservation of copyright and license notices. Licensed software, modifications and other works may be distributed under different terms and without source code.
Permissions
- ✓ Commercial use
- ✓ Modification
- ✓ Distribution
- ✓ Private use
Limitations
- ❌ No Liability
- ❌ No Warranty
Conditions
- ○ License and copyright notices
Is this license real/legit/verified?
This license has never gone to court, but it's certainly real. It doesn't have the kind of backing or legal power as an established license like the GNU GPL or the ISC licenses do, but it is no less valid.
Why isn't the warranty clause in all caps like all the cool licenses?
Because I DON'T LIKE WHEN THINGS YELL AT ME FOR NO REASON.
Why not just use public domain instead of a license like this?
Public domain is a term which has varying definitions in different places, including defining who can even put works into it. This license makes intent very clear.
Can I fork some DWYW software for free and then sell it for money?
Yes.
Can I use DWYW software inside closed-source software?
Yes, go for it. The only requirement is that you keep the DWYW copyright and license notices with the software that uses it. You can use the short version if you want (see 'how to use' below).
Are you sure?
DO WHATEVER YOU WANT.
Just take the license text and put it into your project, usually at the top level. Fill in the appropriate year and the copyright-holder's name in the template, and optionally add an email. That's it.
If you'd like, you can put a comment into your code with text like the following:
This program is free software. It comes without warranty, to the
extent permitted by appliccable law. You may redistribute and/or
modify it under the terms of the Do Whatever You Want (DWYW) license.
See https://jmthornton.net/dwyw for more details.
The DWYW License was originally designed to be a safe-for-work version of the WTFPL, and has since had further inspiration from the ISC and MIT licenses.