i'd like to provide me with links to help me understand
the foggy area of software licenses.

e.g.
if i want to provide a software project completely
free does the OS licence suffice?
Do i have only to include the license with my software
so that it is complies with it?
To restrict my software to be only free is the GPL sufficient?
What responsibilities does the original author have?

I've read several licenses at Open Source Initiative but it doesn't give any info on how to get
started and what actions shoulde be taken.

sorry if this post is a little off-topic,
but i couldn't find a more appropriate forum

thanks