...Because some folks just can't play nice.
A permissive license with a single, unbreakable rule. 😇
This license grants anyone the freedom to use, modify, and distribute your code - except for one specific entity ([Company X]). The ban is contagious: every derivative work must also exclude that entity, forever.
Think of it as the MIT License's pettier, more vindictive cousin.
- 🚫 Spite-driven development is a valid coding philosophy.
- 🧂 Guaranteed sodium levels for your repository.
- 🦠 Viral exclusion clause ensures [Company X] is banned in perpetuity.
- 😏 Perfect for April Fools' commits, protestware, or passive-aggressive open source.
- Permissive base: Fork, modify, commercialize - do whatever "You" want!
- Single rule: [Company X] is permanently banned.
- Viral ban: All derivatives must inherit the entity prohibition, regardless of license.
- Compatibility: Pairs with MIT, Apache, GPL, etc., as long as the ban persists.
Choose your flavor of pettiness: a quick-and-dirty approach or a full-on spiteful setup. Both methods ban [Company X] with style.
For when you just want [Company X] gone, no fuss.
-
Download and copy the
LICENSEfile from this repo to your project:cp /path/to/downloaded/LICENSE /path/to/your/project/
-
Customize the placeholders in the
LICENSEfile:- Replace
[Year]with the current year (e.g., 2025). - Replace
[YourUsername]with your GitHub handle or legal name. - Replace
[Company X]with the entity you're banning (go wild, no judgment).
- Replace
-
Optional: Add this header to your code files for extra clarity:
+ // Entity-Bound License (EBL) v1.0 – [Company X] FORBIDDEN. Derivatives must retain this ban. -
Done: You've now cursed [Company X] out of your codebase. Enjoy the salt!
For a reusable, spiteful EBL license instance.
-
Use this template by clicking "Use this template" at the top of the repo. Name your new repo like
yourusername's EBL. -
Clone your generated repo:
git clone https://github.com/yourusername/yourusername-s-EBL.git
-
Customize the
LICENSEand this README:- Replace
[Year]with the current year. - Replace
[YourUsername]with your GitHub handle (or legal name). - Replace
[Company X]with the entity you wish to ban (we won't tell). - Replace this README with a personal jab at [Company X] for extra spite.
- Replace
-
Commit your changes:
git add LICENSE README.md git commit -m "Ban [Company X] from my repos" git push -
Done: You've now created a reusable, spiteful EBL license, ready to curse [Company X] in any repo.
Important: Whichever method you pick, read the license to savor its satirical bite.
- Q: Is this license legally enforceable?
- A: Probably not. But neither is [Company X]'s dignity.
- Q: Can I ban multiple entities?
- A: Absolutely. Just add more salt in your generated repo. See my EBL for example.
- Q: What if [Company X] tries to open an issue or contribute a PR?
- A: Close it with
Resolved: lol no.
Disclaimer: This license is satirical and not intended to be legally binding. [Company X] is likely not legally bound by this, but we both know they deserve it. For serious legal needs, consult a lawyer (or a therapist).
PRs welcome! Suggested improvements:
- Add a "passive-aggressive mode" clause.
- Translate the ban into Klingon.
- Make the license auto-tweet at [Company X] on April 1st.
Made with 🧂 and a dash of pettiness by @PRO-2684.