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> the cloud giant can make software patents on the changes they've committed and change the license of that code/features If you choose a license with a patent
by jsty 7y ago
> the cloud giant can make software patents on the changes they've committed and change the license of that code/features
If you choose a license with a patent grant (e.g. Apache), wouldn't this be fairly difficult to pull off? To re-license they'd have to re-write all the original contributions or create a separate project with the 'patent-encumbered' code under a different license without a grant, on which the main project depended.
- tmikaeld 7y agoThat's just it, a project can be dual licensed, which is not so uncommon. A business license + open source license, often called cripple-ware, they make the system quite useless without a GUI or management tool for example.
- sokoloff 7y agoI might be missing something, but I'm not following the "that's just it". A third party contributor (say AWS) can't take a single-licensed Apache project and decide to dual-license it.
- JetSpiegel 7y agoThe original developer can dual license and force Amazon to contribute (either in cash, or in code).
- deleted 7y ago[deleted]