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Do I understand it right, that whatever a project I build using MongoDB (i.e. any website/app that uses a MongoDB instance as a backend to store data directly o
by qwerty456127 8y ago
Do I understand it right, that whatever a project I build using MongoDB (i.e. any website/app that uses a MongoDB instance as a backend to store data directly or via a middleware layer or has a feature of connecting to MongoDB) I must open-source it completely? This feels a way too radical if so.
- filmor 8y agoI think this is only about cases where you expose MongoDB directly, not if you use it in the backend.
- verst 8y agoI believe that is what prompted the Server Side Public License (SSPL) creation, but as written could be interpreted to cover more than just offering MongoDB as a service. From the SSPL: 13. Offering the Program as a Service. If you make the functionality of the Program or a modified version available to third parties as a service, you must make the Service Source Code available via network download to everyone at no charge, under the terms of this License. Making the functionality of the Program or modified version available to third parties as a service includes, without limitation, enabling third parties to interact with the functionality of the Program or modified version remotely through a computer network, offering a service the value of which entirely or primarily derives from the value of the Program or modified version, or offering a service that accomplishes for users the primary purpose of the Program or modified version “Service Source Code” means the Corresponding Source for the Program or the modified version, and the Corresponding Source for all programs that you use to make the Program or modified version available as a service, including, without limitation, management software, user interfaces, application program interfaces, automation software, monitoring software, backup software, storage software and hosting software, all such that a user could run an instance of the service using the Service Source Code you make available.
- arnon 8y agoHerein lies the problem. Notice you said "I believe that... but could be interpreted". I've worked with some copyright lawyers that basically said "it's impossible to know, and we'd rather just avoid the question to begin with", and forbade us from using AGPL in any of our deployments.
- Grangar 8y agoSo the key takeway is that you not only have to opensource your serverside component, but also have to allow self hosting? I haven't had my morning coffee yet so I may be wrong here, but that seems extreme.
- pmontra 8y ago> The only substantive change is an explicit condition that any organization attempting to exploit MongoDB as a service must open source the software that it uses to offer such service If you're building for example an ecommerce that uses MongoDB as database, you're not selling MongoDB as a service, so you don't need to license your software with this new SSPL. If you're building an ecommerce as a service with a MongoDB database, again you're not selling MongoDB as a service, so you're safe again. IANAL + usual disclaimers.
- bad_user 8y agoThat's not how licenses work.
- merlynn 8y agoNo. Only when you make MongoDB Available to third parties as a service do you need to make the source code of your service available.