[open-science-dev] PyBOSSA: re-implementing the open source PHP BOSSA framework in Python

Thu Dec 15 16:26:39 UTC 2011

I think Thomas proposal makes sense. LGPL was designed for libraries which by necessity would always be combined with other pieces of software as enablers of functionality, and you could think of the Bossa system in a similar fashion. LGPL would allow any changes to be fed back into the common pool but without forcing license changes on other components of the combined new system.  

--  
Javier Ruiz
javier at openrightsgroup.org
+44(0)7877 911 412
@javierruiz

On Wednesday, 14 December 2011 at 16:00, Thomas Kluyver wrote:

> 2011/12/14 Daniel Lombraña González <teleyinex at gmail.com (mailto:teleyinex at gmail.com)>
> > I would like to know which are the problems of using AGPL3 as this will really enforce a real open source project in the sense of a copyleft project. As PyBOSSA is going to provide a service, if we choose another license it will be possible to add new features, modify it, etc. without releasing the changes (that will be a pity) while with AGPLv3 you are forced to do it. If you go to the FSF and check the licenses they clearly recommend to adopt AGPLv3 if you are building a service and you want your code to be as open as possible ;)
> I think the issue with the AGPL is that it's not clear quite how much code could be considered a derivative work, and would therefore need to be released under the AGPL as well. MongoDB, for example, uses the AGPL for the core, but specifically adds "we promise that your client application which uses the database is a separate work"[1].
>  
> For a framework, as I understand it, any project you use it for would need to be released, which is probably a non-starter for many users. You could grant this as a specific exception, like MongoDB, but it's probably simpler just to use a more permissive license to start with. I doubt anyone's going to add valuable proprietary code into the framework itself - and if they do, how would you tell? - so there's probably little benefit to using AGPL.
>  
> For reference, (PHP) Bossa appears to be under LGPL, so you'd need agreement from their contributors to use a BSD style license. I'd suggest that the LGPL is the path of least resistance for PyBossa as well.
>  
> Thomas
>  
> [1] http://www.mongodb.org/display/DOCS/Licensing
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