[freeside-devel] Comments on the AGPL (and other licenses?) that close the "webapp" loophole

[ivan]

On Fri, Aug 20, 2004 at 01:55:13PM -0700, DPH wrote:
> I think being able to hook up with packages such as RT and SQL-Ledger 
> is more important than closing loopholes.

Well, I've already imported their source code into the tree and started
work on the RT integration, so its a given we'd have to get the
permission of the RT and SQL-Ledger copyright holders for any
relicensing.  I'm confident that would be possible by simply asking the
respective authors, so let's see if there are any other reasons not to 
relicense under the AGPL.

Although the AGPL is (currently) incompatible with the GPLv2, it is
important to note that this is a temporary situation.  The AGPL was
written in cooperation with the FSF, incorporating some of the draft
language from the GPLv3, and it will be compatible with GPLv3.  Most GPL
licensed software contains the "or any later version" clause, so it
would be available under the GPLv3 as soon as that license is published.

> Companies and individuals will always modify and use code without 
> reciprocating.

Certainly.  The point is not to force reciprocation for use or
modification, but to protect the freedom of the software when it is sold
as a product.  Just as the GPL protects the freedom of the software by
requiring the distribution of source to those whom you provide binaries,
the AGPL (and the upcoming GPLv3) requires the distribution of the
source to those whom you provide access to the software over the network
(more specifically, it prohitibts the removal of any "source code
download" feature in the application).  In essence, it recognizes that
the act of hosting a web application today is equivalent to the act of 
distributing packaged binaries in the past, and extends the protections 
in the GPL to this new reality.

> The important thing is that they don't try to claim freeside as their 
> own and distribute as a proprietary package.

Unfortunately, that's pretty much exactly what's happening.

  "BUSINESS RULES PLATFORM (BRP) - Automated Accounting System

   XXXXX's Business Rules Platform (BRP) technology, exclusively 
   developed by XXXXX's technical personnel, automates nearly every 
   aspect of service provisioning, end-user registration, credit 
   verification, policy management, account billing, money transfer, 
   accounting processes and technical support."

This is a derivitive work of Freeside with no attribution given,
represented as a proprietary package and "distributed" by subscription
to centralized servers.

-- 
_ivan