§ materials templates · licences · research
Things we’ve made that you can use.
Open source works because people publish useful things under terms that let others build on them. We practise what we advise — templates, licences and research, free to use.
§M-1
Templates & tools
The OpenChain Open Source Policy Template — drafted and maintained by Orcro’s founder for the Linux Foundation’s OpenChain project, and translated into multiple languages worldwide.
§M-1.1
OpenChain Policy Template
Download as XLSX · Download as ODS — a ready-to-adapt open source policy aligned to ISO/IEC 5230.
§M-1.2
Broader reference policies
The TODO Group’s policy collection gathers reference open source policies from major organisations.
§M-1.3
Orcro brochure
An introduction to OpenChain (PDF) — a scalable, cost-effective route to minimising open source risk.
§M-2
Licences we helped write
Two of the world’s most significant open hardware licences carry Orcro DNA.
§M-2.1
Solderpad Hardware Licence
Drafted by Andrew Katz; widely used across open silicon and hardware projects. solderpad.org
§M-2.2
CERN Open Hardware Licence
Andrew was sole external counsel on the drafting team, and navigated the suite through SPDX and OSI recognition. cern-ohl.web.cern.ch
§M-3
Selected research & writing
Published by Oxford University Press, Springer, IEEE and the Edinburgh University Press, among others. Much of this work, with the Software Systems Research Group at the University of Skövde, has shaped public policy — including the Swedish Government’s adopted definition of open standards.
2022
Open Source Law, Policy and Practice (2nd ed.)
Oxford University Press — co-author. The standard reference on the interplay of law and open source culture.
2021
EC Impact Study on Open Source Software & Hardware
European Commission — lead author, Open Hardware section. Frequently cited by MEPs and the Commission in EU law and policy.
2025
Half a Step Behind
Bulk disclosure of confidential data in third-party GenAI solutions under the Swedish Public Access to Information and Secrecy Act — Digital Government: Research and Practice (with Lundell, Lindroth, Gamalielsson et al.).
2023
Implementing the HEVC standard in software
Challenges and recommendations for organisations planning development and deployment — Journal of Standardisation (with Lundell & Gamalielsson).
2022
Effective strategies for OSS and open standards
Experiences from the primary and secondary software sectors — IEEE Software 39(1) (with Lundell, Butler et al.).
2020–22
SaaS lock-in in the public sector
A series on perceived and actual lock-in, unknown contract terms and cross-jurisdiction data processing in Swedish public sector SaaS use — EGOV / Springer LNCS (with Lundell, Gamalielsson & Lindroth).
2019
Implementing IT standards in software
Challenges and recommendations for organisations whose software must cover IT standards — European Journal of Law and Technology 10(2).
2015
On implementation of open standards in software
To what extent can ISO standards be implemented in open source software? — International Journal of Standardization Research 13(1).
jolts
Breathe In, Breathe Out
How open hardware licensing can help save the world — Journal of Open Law, Technology & Society (Svorc & Katz).
// full record: google scholar
[rephrase entirely]Use them. Then call us for the hard parts.
The templates get you started; the judgement calls are where we earn our keep.