diff --git a/docs/writing/license.rst b/docs/writing/license.rst
index a66e1375a..3b4f479d0 100644
--- a/docs/writing/license.rst
+++ b/docs/writing/license.rst
@@ -6,11 +6,26 @@ Open source.
 There are plenty of `open source licenses <http://opensource.org/licenses/alphabetical>`_
 available to choose from.
 
+In general, these licenses tend to fall into one of two categories:
+
+1. licenses that focus more on the user's freedom to do with the
+   software as they please (these are the more-permissive open
+   source licenses such as the MIT, BSD, & Apache), and
+
+2. licenses that focus more on making sure that the code itself —
+   including any changes made to it and distributed along with it —
+   always remains free (these are the less-permissive free software
+   licenses, for example, the GPL and LGPL).
+
+The latter are less-permissive in the sense that they don't permit
+someone to add code to the software and distribute it without also
+including the source code for their changes.
+
 To help you choose one for your project, there's a `license chooser <http://three.org/openart/license_chooser/>`_,
 use it.
 
 
-Non-Restrictive
+More-Permissive
 :::::::::::::::
 
 PSFL
@@ -34,8 +49,8 @@ Apache
 ------
 
 
-Restrictive
-:::::::::::
+Less-Permissive
+:::::::::::::::
 
 
 LGPL