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In brief: "use our product however you wish, as long as it is not to compete with us" doesn't define "us" (you now, or for all perpetuity? What if you get bough
by growse 3y ago
In brief: "use our product however you wish, as long as it is not to compete with us" doesn't define "us" (you now, or for all perpetuity? What if you get bought by a large litigious-happy database vendor?) or "compete" (same market segment? Geographical area? Product type? Specific use-case?).
The clause is not written in good faith. It's designed to essentially make it enormously risky to use in any serious environment, because the actual ambition by the clause author is that no-one else uses their software.
- zogrodea 3y agoI don't think you're right to assert bad faith. Look at Sentry's track record allowing users to self-host, and this as a step that makes their work more permissive than what they previously had (for example, the shorter duration). I don't challenge that the license may have shortcomings, but I think better evidence is needed before bad faith can be asserted.
- growse 3y agoYou may be right, I may be wrong. I just find it difficult to look at a phrase in a license which has been deliberately crafted to be intentionally vague as being anything else.