4 ms·

I wonder could they do that? Doesn't ElasticSearch own the copyright to that license? Is it even legal to copy it without their permission?

chii 5y ago
> own the copyright to that license? should the text of the license itself be copyright-able at all?
- galaxyLogic 5y ago
  I'm not a lawyer but I think any unique text you write you own the copyright to by default. It's a different question whether this should be so or not.
  - adolph 5y ago
    Could part of text be a release of the inherent copyright stemming from creation?
    - webmaven 5y ago
      Sure. If you want your text to be as close to public domain as possible, the Creative Commons No Rights Reserved license (AKA CC0) should work: https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/public-domain/cc0/ https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/public-domain/cc...
      - adolph 5y ago
        I don’t see any disclaimer of copyright for the license text. If another organization took that license text and promoted it as if it were their own, would Creative Commons have grounds to pursue infringement against that other organization? https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/legalcode https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/legalcode
        galaxyLogic 5y ago
        My guess is they could, unless they state somewhere that the license text is licensed with the Creative Commons License or some other permissive license
- zokier 5y ago
  GPL begins with following: > GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE > Version 3, 29 June 2007 > Copyright © 2007 Free Software Foundation, Inc. <https://fsf.org/ https://fsf.org/> > Everyone is permitted to copy and distribute verbatim copies of this license document, but changing it is not allowed. This is one reason I think SSPL is bit problematic as afaik it's just AGPL with changes, something that is explicitly forbidden.
  - ttybird 5y ago
    https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html#ModifyGPL https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html#ModifyGPL It is allowed.
  - Mikeb85 5y ago
    You're not allowed to change a GPL license's terms and conditions and still call it GPL. But if you call it something else you can use some of their terms and add/remove whatever you want.
mythz 5y ago
Anyone could do it, but Elastic should do it since it's in everyone's collective best interests to standardize behind a single sustainable license model with shared goals but that can't happen if it stays branded. MongoDB and Elastic are likely the biggest companies with licenses of similar goals, but I don't ever see Mongo adopting a commercially branded license, they both need to come together to unify behind a single one to lead the way for others to adopt it.
ent101 5y ago
Check this out: https://www.reddit.com/r/elasticsearch/comments/mv9vxw/can_i_use_the_elastic_license_20_for_other/ https://www.reddit.com/r/elasticsearch/comments/mv9vxw/can_i...
- adolph 5y ago
  I read that and it’s hilarious. “Hey Sally, can some other company use our license?” “Sure Bob, tell them no sweat.” <time passes> Corp press release: to protect our biz model and IP . . .

chii 5y ago

> own the copyright to that license? should the text of the license itself be copyright-able at all?

galaxyLogic 5y ago
I'm not a lawyer but I think any unique text you write you own the copyright to by default. It's a different question whether this should be so or not.
- adolph 5y ago
  Could part of text be a release of the inherent copyright stemming from creation?
  - webmaven 5y ago
    Sure. If you want your text to be as close to public domain as possible, the Creative Commons No Rights Reserved license (AKA CC0) should work: https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/public-domain/cc0/ https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/public-domain/cc...
    - adolph 5y ago
      I don’t see any disclaimer of copyright for the license text. If another organization took that license text and promoted it as if it were their own, would Creative Commons have grounds to pursue infringement against that other organization? https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/legalcode https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/legalcode
      - galaxyLogic 5y ago
        My guess is they could, unless they state somewhere that the license text is licensed with the Creative Commons License or some other permissive license
zokier 5y ago
GPL begins with following: > GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE > Version 3, 29 June 2007 > Copyright © 2007 Free Software Foundation, Inc. <https://fsf.org/ https://fsf.org/> > Everyone is permitted to copy and distribute verbatim copies of this license document, but changing it is not allowed. This is one reason I think SSPL is bit problematic as afaik it's just AGPL with changes, something that is explicitly forbidden.
- ttybird 5y ago
  https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html#ModifyGPL https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html#ModifyGPL It is allowed.
- Mikeb85 5y ago
  You're not allowed to change a GPL license's terms and conditions and still call it GPL. But if you call it something else you can use some of their terms and add/remove whatever you want.

mythz 5y ago

Anyone could do it, but Elastic should do it since it's in everyone's collective best interests to standardize behind a single sustainable license model with shared goals but that can't happen if it stays branded. MongoDB and Elastic are likely the biggest companies with licenses of similar goals, but I don't ever see Mongo adopting a commercially branded license, they both need to come together to unify behind a single one to lead the way for others to adopt it.

ent101 5y ago

Check this out: https://www.reddit.com/r/elasticsearch/comments/mv9vxw/can_i_use_the_elastic_license_20_for_other/ https://www.reddit.com/r/elasticsearch/comments/mv9vxw/can_i...

adolph 5y ago
I read that and it’s hilarious. “Hey Sally, can some other company use our license?” “Sure Bob, tell them no sweat.” <time passes> Corp press release: to protect our biz model and IP . . .