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

[Francois Grey]

Hi,

I think we should discuss this with David Anderson. Maybe the PyBossa code is substantially different, but the concept comes from Bossa as the name suggests. And Bossa in turn comes from the experience of running Stardust at Home.

As it happens, David will be visiting me this coming week, and we have a skype conf call lined up this coming Friday 23/12 at 9am Geneva time to discuss some matters, so why not use part of that time to discuss PyBossa with him? Anyone who can join at say, 9:30am to discuss PyBossa development and licencing plans is very welcome.

I think he will be delighted with what we are doing, but it's always a good idea to ask.

Francois

From: Daniel Lombraña González <teleyinex at gmail.com<mailto:teleyinex at gmail.com>>
Date: Fri, 16 Dec 2011 11:15:33 +0100
To: Javier Ruiz <javier at openrightsgroup.org<mailto:javier at openrightsgroup.org>>
Cc: <open-science-dev at lists.okfn.org<mailto:open-science-dev at lists.okfn.org>>
Subject: Re: [open-science-dev] PyBOSSA: re-implementing the open source PHP BOSSA framework in Python

Hi,

You have raised really good points ;) The only issue I do not fully get is that PyBOSSA is a complete re-write of BOSSA. We are only using their table structure for MySQL DB, nothing else. Do we need to contact them for checking the license issue if we are not using none of their source code?

LGPL sounds good too to me.

Cheers,

Daniel

On Thu, Dec 15, 2011 at 17:26, Javier Ruiz <javier at openrightsgroup.org<mailto:javier at openrightsgroup.org>> wrote:
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<mailto:javier at openrightsgroup.org>
+44(0)7877 911 412<tel:%2B44%280%297877%20911%20412>
@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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