CHAOS MVC LICENSE

Version 1.0

Copyright (c) STN-LABZ, LLC.
All rights reserved.

Protect the Core. Grow outward.

1. Purpose

This Chaos MVC License ("License") governs the use, installation, inspection, distribution, development, and modification of the Chaos MVC software framework ("Chaos MVC").

Chaos MVC is made available in source-visible form to permit inspection, development, deployment, and extension while preserving the integrity of the Chaos MVC Core.

Chaos MVC is proprietary software. Public availability of its source code, including availability through a public source-code repository, does not place Chaos MVC in the public domain and does not grant any rights except those expressly provided by this License.

2. Ownership

Chaos MVC, including its Core, source code, architecture, documentation, official distributions, and other materials provided by STN-LABZ, LLC., remains the copyrighted intellectual property of STN-LABZ, LLC., except for separately identified third-party components.

No ownership interest in Chaos MVC is transferred under this License.

All rights not expressly granted by this License are reserved by STN-LABZ, LLC.

3. License Grant

Subject to compliance with this License, STN-LABZ, LLC. grants the licensee a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable license to:

Download an official Chaos MVC distribution.
Inspect the Chaos MVC source code.
Install and execute Chaos MVC.
Use Chaos MVC to develop, operate, and maintain websites and applications, including commercial websites and applications.
Create themes, modules, and other extensions through interfaces and extension mechanisms authorized by Chaos MVC.
Make modifications to portions of a Chaos MVC installation that are expressly designated as user-modifiable or extension-controlled.

This grant does not include permission to modify the Chaos MVC Core.

4. The Chaos MVC Core

4.1 Protected Core

The Chaos MVC Core ("Core") consists of components designated as Core by the authoritative Chaos MVC architecture and documentation.

Protected Core components include, without limitation:

/app/core;
Chaos MVC controllers and models designated with $is_core = 1;
/app/lib; and
Additional components expressly designated by STN-LABZ, LLC. as Core components in authoritative Chaos MVC documentation.

The designation of a component as Core establishes its protected status under this License.

4.2 Core Modification Prohibited

Except with prior express written authorization from STN-LABZ, LLC., a licensee may not:

Modify the Core.
Patch or alter Core source code.
Replace Core components.
Fork the Core.
Distribute a modified Core.
Create or distribute a substitute or replacement Core.
Remove, disable, circumvent, or interfere with mechanisms intended to preserve Core integrity.
Use a module, plugin, theme, extension, loader, override, or other mechanism for the purpose of indirectly replacing or modifying protected Core behavior where direct modification would be prohibited by this License.
Represent an altered or replacement Core as an official Chaos MVC Core.

Possession of source code, repository access, technical capability, or discovery of a defect does not establish authorization to modify the Core.

4.3 Authorized Core Development

STN-LABZ, LLC. may expressly authorize another person or organization to perform Core development.

Such authorization must be explicit and does not establish a continuing right to modify the Core beyond the scope and duration of the authorization.

5. Core Defects

Discovery of a defect, incompatibility, malfunction, or other problem affecting the Chaos MVC Core does not grant permission to modify, patch, replace, fork, or redistribute the Core.

Ordinary Core defects will be reported through the official Chaos MVC Issues system at chaos-mvc.org.

A report should contain sufficient information for STN-LABZ, LLC. to understand and, where practical, reproduce the reported condition.

Submission of a report does not grant the reporter authority to modify the Core.

6. Security Vulnerabilities

A suspected security vulnerability affecting the Chaos MVC Core should not be publicly disclosed through the ordinary Issues system when public disclosure could reasonably expose Chaos MVC installations to exploitation.

Security vulnerabilities will be reported through the private security reporting mechanism designated by STN-LABZ, LLC.

If no private reporting mechanism is presently published, the reporter should obtain appropriate private reporting instructions from STN-LABZ, LLC. before publicly disclosing technical exploitation details.

Reporting a security vulnerability does not grant authorization to modify or distribute the Core.

7. Core Updates

Official Core corrections, replacements, and updates are issued by STN-LABZ, LLC. or by a party expressly authorized by STN-LABZ, LLC.

Official Chaos MVC update mechanisms may overwrite, replace, remove, or otherwise update Core files as necessary to install an authorized release.

Licensees are responsible for ensuring that unauthorized local modifications do not interfere with the official update process.

STN-LABZ, LLC. is not required to preserve unauthorized modifications to Core files during an update.

8. Extension Development

Chaos MVC is designed to grow through authorized extension mechanisms.

Licensees may create modules, themes, and other supported extensions without modifying the Core, subject to applicable Chaos MVC development, distribution, marketplace, certification, and interface requirements.

An extension may interact with documented or otherwise authorized Chaos MVC interfaces.

An extension may not be used primarily as a mechanism to circumvent the protected-Core requirements of this License.

Rights in independently created extensions remain subject to the applicable license chosen by their owner, provided that the extension does not incorporate or distribute Chaos MVC material in a manner prohibited by this License.

9. Commercial Use

This License permits the use of Chaos MVC to create and operate commercial websites, applications, services, and other permitted works.

Permission to use Chaos MVC commercially does not grant permission to:

Sell Chaos MVC itself as a competing framework or software product.
Rebrand Chaos MVC as another framework.
Distribute a modified Chaos MVC Core.
Claim ownership of Chaos MVC.
Represent an unauthorized distribution as an official Chaos MVC release.
Imply sponsorship, certification, endorsement, or affiliation by STN-LABZ, LLC. or ChAoS where none exists.

10. Redistribution

A complete official and unmodified Chaos MVC distribution may be redistributed only when:

The distribution remains materially identical to the official distribution released by STN-LABZ, LLC.
This License remains included.
Copyright notices remain intact.
Required attribution and notices remain intact.
The distribution is not represented as an independently developed, modified, or competing framework.
No modified Core component is included.
The redistribution does not falsely imply authorization, certification, endorsement, or partnership.

STN-LABZ, LLC. may authorize additional redistribution rights in writing.

11. Trademarks and Brand Identity

This License does not grant a trademark license.

The names and marks STN-LABZ, ChAoS, Chaos MVC, associated logos, the ChAoS circular brand image, and other identifying marks remain the property of their respective owner.

Use of Chaos MVC does not authorize a licensee to represent itself as STN-LABZ, ChAoS, an official Chaos MVC distributor, or an authorized, approved, or certified developer.

Reasonable factual statements identifying that a website or application uses Chaos MVC are permitted provided they do not imply an affiliation, certification, sponsorship, or endorsement that does not exist.

12. Certification

Installation, use, development with, contribution to, or redistribution of Chaos MVC does not grant any STN-LABZ or ChAoS certification.

Certification programs, including developer, module, theme, or other Chaos MVC certifications, are governed separately.

Only certifications actually issued or recognized by the applicable STN-LABZ or ChAoS certification authority may be represented as valid.

13. Attribution and Notices

Copyright, license, ownership, attribution, integrity, and other legal notices contained in Chaos MVC may not be intentionally removed, obscured, or falsified.

A licensee may customize a website or application built using Chaos MVC as permitted by the framework, but may not falsify the origin or ownership of Chaos MVC itself.

14. Third-Party Components

Chaos MVC may contain or interact with third-party software.

Third-party software remains subject to its respective license terms.

Nothing in this License expands or restricts rights granted directly by a third-party license.

Where a third-party license conflicts with this License regarding the third party's own copyrighted material, the third-party license controls only that material.

15. Compliance With Law

Chaos MVC may be used only in compliance with applicable law.

Nothing in this License authorizes conduct prohibited by applicable law or grants rights that STN-LABZ, LLC. does not possess.

16. No Implied Rights

No right or permission will arise from:

Silence.
Prior tolerance.
Technical capability.
Source-code visibility.
Repository access.
Previous versions or distributions.
Failure to enforce a provision on a previous occasion.
Any right not expressly granted by this License.

Any permission outside this License requires express authorization from STN-LABZ, LLC.

17. Termination

Rights granted under this License terminate upon a material violation of its terms.

Unauthorized modification, replacement, circumvention, or distribution of the Chaos MVC Core constitutes a material violation.

Upon termination, the licensee will cease exercising rights granted by this License except as necessary to comply with applicable legal obligations.

STN-LABZ, LLC. may provide an opportunity to cure a violation.

A cured violation does not automatically reinstate terminated rights unless STN-LABZ, LLC. confirms reinstatement in writing.

Termination does not affect rights or remedies that accrued before termination.

18. Disclaimer of Warranty

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, CHAOS MVC IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE," WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS, IMPLIED, OR STATUTORY.

STN-LABZ, LLC. DISCLAIMS, TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, WARRANTIES INCLUDING MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NONINFRINGEMENT, ACCURACY, AVAILABILITY, SECURITY, AND ERROR-FREE OPERATION.

STN-LABZ, LLC. DOES NOT WARRANT THAT CHAOS MVC WILL MEET EVERY REQUIREMENT, OPERATE WITHOUT INTERRUPTION, OR BE FREE FROM DEFECTS OR VULNERABILITIES.

19. Limitation of Liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, STN-LABZ, LLC., ITS OWNERS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, CONTRIBUTORS, CONTRACTORS, AND AUTHORIZED DISTRIBUTORS WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES ARISING FROM OR RELATED TO CHAOS MVC OR THIS LICENSE.

THIS INCLUDES, WITHOUT LIMITATION, LOSS OF DATA, LOSS OF PROFITS, LOSS OF REVENUE, BUSINESS INTERRUPTION, LOSS OF GOODWILL, OR COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH SUBSTITUTE SOFTWARE OR SERVICES.

ANY LIMITATION THAT CANNOT LAWFULLY APPLY WILL APPLY ONLY TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW.

20. Severability

If a provision of this License is determined to be invalid or unenforceable, that provision will be limited or modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it enforceable where permitted.

The remaining provisions will remain in effect.

21. Waiver

Failure by STN-LABZ, LLC. to enforce a provision of this License on one occasion does not waive the right to enforce that provision or another provision later.

A waiver must be expressly authorized by STN-LABZ, LLC.

22. Entire License

This License constitutes the software license granted by STN-LABZ, LLC. for the applicable Chaos MVC distribution unless a separate written agreement expressly provides otherwise.

Documentation, marketing material, repository descriptions, discussions, issue reports, forum posts, or other communications do not independently expand the rights granted by this License.

23. License Versions

STN-LABZ, LLC. may publish revised versions of the Chaos MVC License.

A Chaos MVC release remains governed by the license version distributed with that release unless STN-LABZ, LLC. expressly provides otherwise.

Publication of a later license does not silently modify the license attached to an earlier distribution.

24. Governing Law and Venue

This License will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Washington, United States, without regard to its conflict-of-law principles, except where applicable law requires otherwise.

Any legal action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this License will be brought in a court of competent jurisdiction located in the State of Washington, except where applicable law requires otherwise.

Each party consents to the jurisdiction of those courts to the extent permitted by law.

25. Acceptance

Downloading, installing, executing, using, copying, or redistributing Chaos MVC constitutes acceptance of this License to the extent permitted by applicable law.

If a person or organization does not accept this License, it receives no permission under this License to use, copy, modify, or redistribute Chaos MVC except for rights independently provided by applicable law.

26. Core Principle

Chaos MVC is intentionally designed around a protected Core and an extensible surrounding ecosystem.

The licensing model follows the same principle:

Protect the Core. Grow outward.