Dirk and fellow license-discussants, I just joined the list and don't know how to reply on an existing thread [0]. Apologies for likely starting a new one.
> Application vendors who could open source choose to go directly to > source-available. Example on my mind: GitButler; could have been > plain AGPL, is SSPL. Is it? GitButler as I understand it has adopted [1] FSL [2]. I cowrote FSL and the FAQ, including this one: > What about AGPLv3 though? > > AGPLv3 is not permissive enough. As a highly viral copyleft > license, it exposes users to serious risk of having to divulge > their proprietary source code. FSL does not introduce this risk, > so FSL software can be adopted at organizations where AGPL is > outside of policy. I can't speak directly for GitButler, but that's our position at Sentry. We have 10,000+ installations of our FSL-licensed software in the wild [3], so the approach is working well for us. In fairness, Plausible uses AGPL [4] and it's possible they demonstrate its viability for Sentry's intended use case (protecting our SaaS business while allowing self-hosting). I've asked [5]. Even so we likely wouldn't have used it, out of a general preference for permissive licensing over copyleft. > We only seem to differ in what is covered code. > Which means I'm more confused now ;-) Confused about open source? Get clarity through https://bayave.com/training I'M KIDDING! I'M KIDDING! Sorry, too hard to resist. :D Seriously, though, if this list is confused about what is in scope for AGPLv3, then run-of-the-mill compliance departments can perhaps be forgiven for blanket denying it. --- [0] https://lists.opensource.org/pipermail/license-discuss_lists.opensource.org/2024-June/022284.html [1] https://github.com/gitbutlerapp/gitbutler?tab=License-1-ov-file#readme [2] https://fsl.software/ [3] https://openpath.chadwhitacre.com/2024/widespread-use-of-a-fair-source-product/ [4] https://plausible.io/blog/open-source-licenses [5] https://x.com/chadwhitacre_/status/1805996508921110840 --- Yours, Chad Whitacre Head of Open Source, Sentry US/Eastern _______________________________________________ The opinions expressed in this email are those of the sender and not necessarily those of the Open Source Initiative. Official statements by the Open Source Initiative will be sent from an opensource.org email address. License-discuss mailing list License-discuss@lists.opensource.org http://lists.opensource.org/mailman/listinfo/license-discuss_lists.opensource.org
