It's off-topic but a very similar argument exists for why the Facebook license + patent type arrangements(1) can cause problems for large companies or small sta

It's off-topic but a very similar argument exists for why the Facebook license + patent type arrangements(1) can cause problems for large companies or small startups that may want to be acquired later. And I too wish that the Facebook-of-the-future don't go down this road. Number two on devs wishlist should be transparency about exactly which patents cover the code at hand. IMHO. I draw the analogy due to the similarities of "open source" and government funded findings. Another area where these issues arise is charitable contributions that come with strings attached (like naming a building or agreeing to continue a certain program). People like getting full recognition for the act of generosity without the cost of their strings being acknowledged or subtracted from the total. (1) The reality of Facebook is that it's unlikely to ever be an issue, but if the arrangement becomes more commonplace the open source community could become a minefield of unquantifiable risks. I realize this is a slippery-slope argument and is thus easy to overstate.