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Big companies like Autodesk and Tesla are using the LGPL version of Qt without paying a cent to the Qt company. It was a business mistake by the Nokia in 2009

by dtquad 2y ago

Big companies like Autodesk and Tesla are using the LGPL version of Qt without paying a cent to the Qt company. It was a business mistake by the Nokia in 2009 to offer the non-commercial version of Qt as LGPL. They should just have continued using GPL.

ronsor 2y ago
Well, they keep making the commercial license worse, so if Qt were GPL, companies would probably just use something else.
johnny22 2y ago
isn't that at least partially due to the kde agreement? https://kde.org/community/whatiskde/kdefreeqtfoundation/ https://kde.org/community/whatiskde/kdefreeqtfoundation/ >> The core libraries of Qt (Essentials) and all existing LGPL-licensed Qt add-ons must continue to be available under the LGPLv3.
- dtquad 2y ago
  The original Qt-KDE agreement from 2000 was GPLv2.
  - johnny22 2y ago
    might wanna add some context as to how that's relevant to the current time frame and situation
    - beojan 2y ago
      Nokia decided to use the LGPL and the KDE Free Qt agreement was then updated to specify LGPL.
      - johnny22 2y ago
        I don't see how that knowledge is changing anything. We can only talk what is as of the qt company and just before
nottorp 2y ago
> It was a business mistake by the Nokia in 2009 to offer the non-commercial version of Qt as LGPL. I don't think so. At the time I'm sure their goal was to have Qt as the development platform for all their phone hardware in time, while the profit would have come from phone sales. Using LGPL would have encouraged adoption by all developers. What they didn't know in 2009 was that their hardware business will collapse. Or be collapsed.
thebruce87m 2y ago
I’m no expert, but this link says that you have to include install instructions: https://www.tldrlegal.com/license/gnu-lesser-general-public-license-v3-lgpl-3 https://www.tldrlegal.com/license/gnu-lesser-general-public-... How are Tesla using it? If it’s in their cars, how do they comply with this?
jdboyd 2y ago
I worked at a small company that used Qt using the LGPL version of Qt with paying a cent to Qt. I thought we should probably pay for it, but the terms of the commercial device license made that unbearable. While Autodesk is a big company, I could see trying to use a commercial licence as impractical for them. If they tried, what would it mean for their no cost editions, what would it mean for their plugin developers, what would it mean for their customers who do custom development on to of it? I think the paid licenses would be a disaster in all cases.

by dtquad 2y ago

ronsor 2y ago

Well, they keep making the commercial license worse, so if Qt were GPL, companies would probably just use something else.

johnny22 2y ago

isn't that at least partially due to the kde agreement? https://kde.org/community/whatiskde/kdefreeqtfoundation/ https://kde.org/community/whatiskde/kdefreeqtfoundation/ >> The core libraries of Qt (Essentials) and all existing LGPL-licensed Qt add-ons must continue to be available under the LGPLv3.

dtquad 2y ago
The original Qt-KDE agreement from 2000 was GPLv2.
- johnny22 2y ago
  might wanna add some context as to how that's relevant to the current time frame and situation
  - beojan 2y ago
    Nokia decided to use the LGPL and the KDE Free Qt agreement was then updated to specify LGPL.
    - johnny22 2y ago
      I don't see how that knowledge is changing anything. We can only talk what is as of the qt company and just before

nottorp 2y ago

> It was a business mistake by the Nokia in 2009 to offer the non-commercial version of Qt as LGPL. I don't think so. At the time I'm sure their goal was to have Qt as the development platform for all their phone hardware in time, while the profit would have come from phone sales. Using LGPL would have encouraged adoption by all developers. What they didn't know in 2009 was that their hardware business will collapse. Or be collapsed.

thebruce87m 2y ago

I’m no expert, but this link says that you have to include install instructions: https://www.tldrlegal.com/license/gnu-lesser-general-public-license-v3-lgpl-3 https://www.tldrlegal.com/license/gnu-lesser-general-public-... How are Tesla using it? If it’s in their cars, how do they comply with this?

jdboyd 2y ago

I worked at a small company that used Qt using the LGPL version of Qt with paying a cent to Qt. I thought we should probably pay for it, but the terms of the commercial device license made that unbearable. While Autodesk is a big company, I could see trying to use a commercial licence as impractical for them. If they tried, what would it mean for their no cost editions, what would it mean for their plugin developers, what would it mean for their customers who do custom development on to of it? I think the paid licenses would be a disaster in all cases.