> And yet, according to Mongo and ElasticSearch, the AGPL doesn't help them actually sell their software in the only way they think is profitable - as a SaaS pl

> And yet, according to Mongo and ElasticSearch, the AGPL doesn't help them actually sell their software in the only way they think is profitable - as a SaaS platform - since it is not creating the type of moat they were hoping for, where they would be the only ones able to offer it as a managed service. AWS was eating their lunch with their own product despite the AGPL, which led to their new license. You're right -- you're discussing the future of "proprietary software" there -- not the future of F/OSS. Why I say that the future of F/OSS is AGPL is because increasingly smaller creators who know the value of their work are building software with an eye to profitability down the road (or at least avoiding exploitation). This is also why I say that the AGPL is misunderstood -- it does not stop people from running a competing service, it stops them from improving your software (usually for their competing service) and not contributing the changes back. For now, it does serve to discourage most corporations though I think that will wear away over time. Still, AGPL is juuuust at the edge of F/OSS, that's where the frontier will likely be -- the step before BSL/SSPL/Elastic and similar licenses. Libraries are a completely different matter though!