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Interesting project, I like Zapier, and was interested in using this. — What about auto converting to GPL always 3? 4? 5? years into the future? So the current

Interesting project, I like Zapier, and was interested in using this. — What about auto converting to GPL always 3? 4? 5? years into the future? So the current version of the project is guaranteed to become open source eventually, although it always starts as Commons-Clause for a few years. Look at the Business Source license — they do that. (I'm doing the same with my project: AGPL —> GPL some years later.) Best wishes :- )

janober 7y ago
I thought about that. But did not decide yet as I first have to inform myself and think properly about what implications that could have. For example, could it mean a split of the community like what happened for Elasticsearch which is never good for any project.
Dayshine 7y ago
Hey, as someone who works in non commercial, public health research, please consider using a license that doesn't penalise charities. If you're using a dual license model, only rich organisations can use your software in security conscious industries like academic research (open sourcing our whole platform is far too expensive). Please, please, pick a variant of AGPL that allows non commercial use.
- KajMagnus 7y ago
  I'm confused :- ) Who are you writing to? Me or @janober? Did you mean that n8n could switch to AGPL? All versions of AGPL allow both non-commercial and commercial usage. (And one needs to share-alike one's modifications.) In any case I like the idea to be free for charities and public research :- ) You work with something like that? Is AGPL ok with you, or you're worried it might require you to open-source parts of your platform?
  - Dayshine 7y ago
    You! :) AGPL requires all users to open-source their projects using your work, even if they don't modify your work. It is an extension of GPL not LGPL. If my web application uses an AGPL library, it's a derivative work. I, like many in my field, work in a small team with almost no budget. My current project involves collecting sensitive (medical) data over the internet. The cost and risk involved in open-sourcing our application is prohibitive. However, it's slightly less relevant for your project, as I can't see much value in directly integrating it into another application :) This is more a problem we run into with AGPL libraries, not AGPL applications.
    - satvikpendem 7y ago
      Correct, you can buy the commercial license if you don't want to open source. This is a benefit of AGPL to the creators, and should you choose to open source your product, to the community as well. If you don't have the money, you can negotiate with the creator for the price. Note that this is a pricing/business problem and not a license problem. The creator, knowing your plight, may offer a commercial license for free, or a cheap, negotiated price.

janober 7y ago

I thought about that. But did not decide yet as I first have to inform myself and think properly about what implications that could have. For example, could it mean a split of the community like what happened for Elasticsearch which is never good for any project.

Dayshine 7y ago

Hey, as someone who works in non commercial, public health research, please consider using a license that doesn't penalise charities. If you're using a dual license model, only rich organisations can use your software in security conscious industries like academic research (open sourcing our whole platform is far too expensive). Please, please, pick a variant of AGPL that allows non commercial use.

KajMagnus 7y ago
I'm confused :- ) Who are you writing to? Me or @janober? Did you mean that n8n could switch to AGPL? All versions of AGPL allow both non-commercial and commercial usage. (And one needs to share-alike one's modifications.) In any case I like the idea to be free for charities and public research :- ) You work with something like that? Is AGPL ok with you, or you're worried it might require you to open-source parts of your platform?
- Dayshine 7y ago
  You! :) AGPL requires all users to open-source their projects using your work, even if they don't modify your work. It is an extension of GPL not LGPL. If my web application uses an AGPL library, it's a derivative work. I, like many in my field, work in a small team with almost no budget. My current project involves collecting sensitive (medical) data over the internet. The cost and risk involved in open-sourcing our application is prohibitive. However, it's slightly less relevant for your project, as I can't see much value in directly integrating it into another application :) This is more a problem we run into with AGPL libraries, not AGPL applications.
  - satvikpendem 7y ago
    Correct, you can buy the commercial license if you don't want to open source. This is a benefit of AGPL to the creators, and should you choose to open source your product, to the community as well. If you don't have the money, you can negotiate with the creator for the price. Note that this is a pricing/business problem and not a license problem. The creator, knowing your plight, may offer a commercial license for free, or a cheap, negotiated price.