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The apple store always distribute apps under a proprietary license. So even if the code is open-source, if you install it on your device through the apple store

The apple store always distribute apps under a proprietary license. So even if the code is open-source, if you install it on your device through the apple store you are still installing proprietary software. They say on their Github page that their app is licensed under GPLv3. Yet they can't publish it under GPLv3 license to the apple store. This means that if you contribute to the project under the GPLv3 license, they can't redistribute your through the apple store. So if you contribute your code it will always have to be licensed under a permissive license. Still can't wait for the F-Droid release though.

mimsee 7y ago
How is Blink Shell: Mosh & SSH Client[1] licensed as GPLv3 on the iOS App Store? To my knowledge that's not the only GPLv3 app on the iOS app store. Many of the projects give a special grant for it to be published on to the app store.[2] [1]: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/blink-shell-mosh-ssh-client/id1156707581 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/blink-shell-mosh-ssh-client/id... [2]: https://github.com/blinksh/blink/blob/raw/COPYING#L702 https://github.com/blinksh/blink/blob/raw/COPYING#L702 Edit: formatting, more context, and sources
- saagarjha 7y ago
  Honestly, I’m not sure the exception is necessary anymore.
- colejohnson66 7y ago
  I’m not even sure a grant is necessary. As the author, you can relicense your work whenever you want. That includes relicensing for a certain platform. So, release your GPLv3 source code, but release the “proprietary” version on the App Store.
  - greggman2 7y ago
    If you're the sole author yes. If you took any contributions then no unless you got all the contributors to accept your proprietary license for their contribution.
  - deleted 7y ago
    [deleted]
- darkwater 7y ago
  Actually clicking on the "License Agreement" link pops up a copy of the GPLv3 License, so it looks like you can distribute GPLv3 software in the app store (and charge for it!)
tinus_hn 7y ago
What is the license of apps on the App Store? I don’t really see the issue, as long as you make al the code available. You don’t need to provide the signing certificates.
- Nullabillity 7y ago
  GPLv3 has a Tivoization clause: the user must be able to replace the code with their own fork.
  - colejohnson66 7y ago
    If you own the rights to all the code, you can relicense at whim. GPLv3 for the desktop version. GPLv2 (or even proprietary) for the iOS version.
    - ryeights 7y ago
      GPLv2 is not compatible either: https://www.fsf.org/blogs/licensing/more-about-the-app-store-gpl-enforcement https://www.fsf.org/blogs/licensing/more-about-the-app-store...
  - tinus_hn 7y ago
    What’s keeping them? They can get their own account or they can even use the free accounts.
mrtksn 7y ago
It's probably more about knowing what you are installing on your device anyway. People love to hate on Apple for "not allowing them to install apps on their devices freely, therefore they don't own the device" but in reality what Apple is doing is controlling the mass distribution channel and you can actually distribute your apps without Apple's approval with some inconveniences to the users. More importantly, you can run your own code however you want so you don't have to trust 3.rd party apps. I wish they had developer edition iPhones(I think they have but not easy to get one) where you can experiment more freely. This would win back quite a lot of goodwill since nerds don't care about licenses and such but want to tinker with things freely.
- jackewiehose 7y ago
  > People love to hate on Apple for "not allowing them to install apps on their devices freely, therefore they don't own the device" but in reality what Apple is doing is controlling the mass distribution channel and you can actually distribute your apps without Apple's approval with some inconveniences to the users. No, in the reality I know, Apple doesn't allow you to install apps on your device freely. Or what did I miss?
  - colejohnson66 7y ago
    Yes, and no, in reality. It’s complicated, but you can set up your own enterprise certificate (for a cost) or just resign the app using your own developer license every 7 days. Cydia Impactor even allows you to do the latter on non-macOS devices. So while it’s definitely not as “open” as, say, a PC or Android, it’s not as simple as, “no they don’t.”
    - snazz 7y ago
      You can also automate the resign-every-week process with iTunes Wi-Fi Sync and have it just work so long as you are on your home network at least once a week.
      - swiley 7y ago
kristianc 7y ago
> The apple store always distribute apps under a proprietary license. So even if the code is open-source, if you install it on your device through the apple store you are still installing proprietary software. There is something to the saying that FOSS advocates are never satisfied. The alternative here isn’t a FOSS-distributed iOS app, it’s no iOS app at all.
- darkwater 7y ago
  > The alternative here isn’t a FOSS-distributed iOS app, it’s no iOS app at all. You should put the blame on Apple for this, not on FOSS advocates.
  - kristianc 7y ago
    > The alternative here isn’t a FOSS-distributed iOS app, it’s no iOS app at all. >> You should put the blame on Apple for this, not on FOSS advocates. It seems like an odd interjection to make at this point if Apple is the target. It’s well known that Apple’s store is proprietary and closed source, adding this comment to one of Proton’s news releases can’t help but come across as an implied criticism of Proton.
- flingo 7y ago
  > it’s no iOS app at all. Or install onto a jailbroken device.
bound008 7y ago
IANAL but, if they write software and publish it under a license, it does not restrict their own ability to do anything with the software. But, if they accept a contribution under a specific license then that would be different. Analogy: Movie studio publishes a movie under Creative Commons. They can still use it however they want.
not_a_cop75 7y ago
Obviously if it's open source, you don't HAVE to use the Apple Store. You can take it into your corporate environment, pull it apart, and even add extra features. In the end, you can distribute it in corporation however you like, Apple Store not required. I'd call that a solid win.

mimsee 7y ago

How is Blink Shell: Mosh & SSH Client[1] licensed as GPLv3 on the iOS App Store? To my knowledge that's not the only GPLv3 app on the iOS app store. Many of the projects give a special grant for it to be published on to the app store.[2] [1]: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/blink-shell-mosh-ssh-client/id1156707581 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/blink-shell-mosh-ssh-client/id... [2]: https://github.com/blinksh/blink/blob/raw/COPYING#L702 https://github.com/blinksh/blink/blob/raw/COPYING#L702 Edit: formatting, more context, and sources

saagarjha 7y ago
Honestly, I’m not sure the exception is necessary anymore.
colejohnson66 7y ago
I’m not even sure a grant is necessary. As the author, you can relicense your work whenever you want. That includes relicensing for a certain platform. So, release your GPLv3 source code, but release the “proprietary” version on the App Store.
- greggman2 7y ago
  If you're the sole author yes. If you took any contributions then no unless you got all the contributors to accept your proprietary license for their contribution.
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]
darkwater 7y ago
Actually clicking on the "License Agreement" link pops up a copy of the GPLv3 License, so it looks like you can distribute GPLv3 software in the app store (and charge for it!)

tinus_hn 7y ago

What is the license of apps on the App Store? I don’t really see the issue, as long as you make al the code available. You don’t need to provide the signing certificates.

Nullabillity 7y ago
GPLv3 has a Tivoization clause: the user must be able to replace the code with their own fork.
- colejohnson66 7y ago
  If you own the rights to all the code, you can relicense at whim. GPLv3 for the desktop version. GPLv2 (or even proprietary) for the iOS version.
  - ryeights 7y ago
    GPLv2 is not compatible either: https://www.fsf.org/blogs/licensing/more-about-the-app-store-gpl-enforcement https://www.fsf.org/blogs/licensing/more-about-the-app-store...
- tinus_hn 7y ago
  What’s keeping them? They can get their own account or they can even use the free accounts.

mrtksn 7y ago

It's probably more about knowing what you are installing on your device anyway. People love to hate on Apple for "not allowing them to install apps on their devices freely, therefore they don't own the device" but in reality what Apple is doing is controlling the mass distribution channel and you can actually distribute your apps without Apple's approval with some inconveniences to the users. More importantly, you can run your own code however you want so you don't have to trust 3.rd party apps. I wish they had developer edition iPhones(I think they have but not easy to get one) where you can experiment more freely. This would win back quite a lot of goodwill since nerds don't care about licenses and such but want to tinker with things freely.

jackewiehose 7y ago
> People love to hate on Apple for "not allowing them to install apps on their devices freely, therefore they don't own the device" but in reality what Apple is doing is controlling the mass distribution channel and you can actually distribute your apps without Apple's approval with some inconveniences to the users. No, in the reality I know, Apple doesn't allow you to install apps on your device freely. Or what did I miss?
- colejohnson66 7y ago
  Yes, and no, in reality. It’s complicated, but you can set up your own enterprise certificate (for a cost) or just resign the app using your own developer license every 7 days. Cydia Impactor even allows you to do the latter on non-macOS devices. So while it’s definitely not as “open” as, say, a PC or Android, it’s not as simple as, “no they don’t.”
  - snazz 7y ago
    You can also automate the resign-every-week process with iTunes Wi-Fi Sync and have it just work so long as you are on your home network at least once a week.
    - swiley 7y ago

kristianc 7y ago

> The apple store always distribute apps under a proprietary license. So even if the code is open-source, if you install it on your device through the apple store you are still installing proprietary software. There is something to the saying that FOSS advocates are never satisfied. The alternative here isn’t a FOSS-distributed iOS app, it’s no iOS app at all.

darkwater 7y ago
> The alternative here isn’t a FOSS-distributed iOS app, it’s no iOS app at all. You should put the blame on Apple for this, not on FOSS advocates.
- kristianc 7y ago
  > The alternative here isn’t a FOSS-distributed iOS app, it’s no iOS app at all. >> You should put the blame on Apple for this, not on FOSS advocates. It seems like an odd interjection to make at this point if Apple is the target. It’s well known that Apple’s store is proprietary and closed source, adding this comment to one of Proton’s news releases can’t help but come across as an implied criticism of Proton.
flingo 7y ago
> it’s no iOS app at all. Or install onto a jailbroken device.

bound008 7y ago

IANAL but, if they write software and publish it under a license, it does not restrict their own ability to do anything with the software. But, if they accept a contribution under a specific license then that would be different. Analogy: Movie studio publishes a movie under Creative Commons. They can still use it however they want.

not_a_cop75 7y ago

Obviously if it's open source, you don't HAVE to use the Apple Store. You can take it into your corporate environment, pull it apart, and even add extra features. In the end, you can distribute it in corporation however you like, Apple Store not required. I'd call that a solid win.