New license request: UnRAR [SPDX-Online-Tools]

[FrBrGeorge]

1. License Name: UnRAR License 2. Short identifier: UnRAR 3. License Author or steward: Alexander L. Roshal 4. Comments: UnRAR is open source license of de-compression with explicit restriction on reversing original proprietary compression algorithm, which makes it non-free. 5. License Request Url: http://tools.spdx.org/app/license_requests/455 6. URL(s): 7. OSI Status: Not Submitted 8. Example Projects: https://www.rarlab.com, https://7-zip.org

[karsten-klein]

{metæffekt} Universe canonical name: UnRAR License short name: UnRAR markers: EULA Marker, No Warranty Marker, Ownership Marker category: UnRAR License ScanCode reference id: unrar OSI status: none Open CoDE status: not approved

ScanCode matched id: unrar

Comment +1 to add.

[richardfontana]

This is not an open source license. However, I think it arguably is the kind of non-open-source license that is "likely to be encountered".

[swinslow]

Text of the license:

 ******    *****   ******   UnRAR - free utility for RAR archives
 **   **  **   **  **   **  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 ******   *******  ******    License for use and distribution of
 **   **  **   **  **   **   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 **   **  **   **  **   **         FREE portable version
                                   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

      The source code of UnRAR utility is freeware. This means:

   1. All copyrights to RAR and the utility UnRAR are exclusively
      owned by the author - Alexander Roshal.

   2. UnRAR source code may be used in any software to handle
      RAR archives without limitations free of charge, but cannot be
      used to develop RAR (WinRAR) compatible archiver and to
      re-create RAR compression algorithm, which is proprietary.
      Distribution of modified UnRAR source code in separate form
      or as a part of other software is permitted, provided that
      full text of this paragraph, starting from "UnRAR source code"
      words, is included in license, or in documentation if license
      is not available, and in source code comments of resulting package.

   3. The UnRAR utility may be freely distributed. It is allowed
      to distribute UnRAR inside of other software packages.

   4. THE RAR ARCHIVER AND THE UnRAR UTILITY ARE DISTRIBUTED "AS IS".
      NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND IS EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED.  YOU USE AT 
      YOUR OWN RISK. THE AUTHOR WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR DATA LOSS, 
      DAMAGES, LOSS OF PROFITS OR ANY OTHER KIND OF LOSS WHILE USING
      OR MISUSING THIS SOFTWARE.

   5. Installing and using the UnRAR utility signifies acceptance of
      these terms and conditions of the license.

   6. If you don't agree with terms of the license you must remove
      UnRAR files from your storage devices and cease to use the
      utility.

      Thank you for your interest in RAR and UnRAR.


                                            Alexander L. Roshal

[swinslow]

I agree with @richardfontana that this is not an open source (or free software) license, given the use restrictions.

Although UnRAR is widely distributed in some tools, looking at the SPDX License Inclusion Principles and specifically the "other factors", I would say also that it is not structured to be usable by anyone; it is very specific to the UnRAR product and its functionality.

Based on that, items 1 and 2 in the "Other Factors" on the inclusion principles do not appear to apply.

However, item 3 likely does apply, given UnRAR's use in tools like 7-Zip in particular (which is itself under an open source license, though noting the UnRAR license restriction). And item 4 applies as well; this UnRAR license does permit the use (apart from the restriction), modification, and distribution of the software. Item 5 is not clear to me whether it applies, but that is generally one that doesn't come into play for older licenses.

We discussed on the 2025-09-11 legal team call, and although we felt that this is on the line for whether to add to the list based on the license inclusion principles, we agreed to approve it to add.

[swinslow]

I think the proposed name ("UnRAR License") and ID (UnRAR) are fine here.