Discovering licenses in software files
View Patent ↗Embodiments include methods, apparatus, and systems for discovering licenses in open source files. One method of software execution includes discovering a software license in code; and determining if the software license is a pre-existing open source software license.
1. A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions for causing a computer to execute a method, comprising:
examining plural different software files for known licensing terms;
scoring the software files that contain one or more of the known licensing terms; and
determining if one of the software files includes a copy of a pre-existing software license that was previously discovered.
2. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 further comprising, identifying the software files that are one of a source package, a binary package, and an archive.
3. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 further comprising:
identifying archive files among the software files;
unpacking the archive files.
4. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 further comprising, determining if one of the software files is a dictionary.
5. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 further comprising, encrypting the known licensing terms to prevent a user from determining which words, phrases, or sentences are being utilized as the known licensing terms.
6. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 further comprising, comparing word phrases in the software files with word phrases exist in the pre-existing software license to determine if the software files contain the pre-existing software license.
7. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 further comprising:
ranking the software files that contain one or more of the known licensing terms;
displaying rankings for the software files that contain one or more of the known licensing terms.
8. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 further comprising, creating a website that includes rankings for the software files that contain one or more of the known licensing terms.
9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 further comprising, searching the software files for a statement of copyright ownership to determine if one of the software files contains a reference to a software license.