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Explaining React's license

code.facebook.com

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Re: Explaining React's license

#351

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is huge.

Welcome to the "folks who miss the forest for the trees" club.

Welcome to the over-reaction party.

3 years from now, most startups and companies will still be using React as they did for the last 5 years that the same terms held.

Re: Explaining React's license

#352
Seamlessly switched from react to infernojs[0] a year ago. The only difference is that the apps are way faster now in infernojs while providing me with more optimization options as jsx properties[1]. Also their support channel in slack is great[2].

[0] https://github.com/infernojs/inferno

[1] https://infernojs.org/docs/guides/optimisations

[2] http://infernojs.slack.com

Re: Explaining React's license

#353

Facebook's license is no more dangerous than regular MIT or BSD-style licenses. If you are OK with using MIT or BSD licensed software you should be OK with using Facebook's BSD + Patents software. Here is why: MIT and BSD licenses don't have any patent grants, unlike the Apache 2.0 license. If you use MIT/BSD open source software, and some functionality of that software is patented by the author, you could be sued fo…

That's how far the framework war has come. FUD about licensing when they can't win with technical finesse anymore.

Re: Explaining React's license

#354
post #149

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've read it, and I'm pretty sure it says that if you initiate a patent lawsuit against Facebook, you lose the license to use React at all. It doesn't revert to BSD. (EDIT: Apparently that's wrong although the license could certainly be more clear about it.) If React doesn't implement any of their patents, the patent clause offers nothing extra. If it does, it would be damned nice to know which one(s) . Do other libr…

It's deeper than that. Say you are a company A, and have product P that uses react. You find out that company B infringed on a patent in your other product Q. You sue B. It turns out B is owned by FB. Your product P is in trouble.

Because you can't just rewrite it in another framework if such a totally contrived case arrive?

Re: Explaining React's license

#355
post #40

I think the reasoning that this will protect them against frivolous lawsuits is pretty poor; you only need a patent grant if you're actually building software. Patent trolls don't build anything so they have no need for patent grants.

>Patent trolls don't build anything so they have no need for patent grants.

You'd be surprised. Patent trolls can have all forms, not just a only-suing company. Some company that has failed as a startup, but which holds 1-2 patents might decide to turn into patent-trolling to make a quick back while it dies.

Think also of companies like SCO.

Re: Explaining React's license

#356
post #40

I think the reasoning that this will protect them against frivolous lawsuits is pretty poor; you only need a patent grant if you're actually building software. Patent trolls don't build anything so they have no need for patent grants.

[deleted]

Re: Explaining React's license

#358

Anyone knows what are consequences of ban from Apache Software Foundation? Okay, it has X-Cat exclusion by August, 31 ( https://react-etc.net/entry/apache-foundation-bans-use-of-fa... ) and what will happen after that?

Note that this only applies to projects from the Apache Software Foundation. Its policies do not affect outside projects, including those using the ALv2.

After August 31, no Apache projects can make a release that has a hard dependency/requirement on the FB/BSD+Patents license (same as for all other licenses described as Cat-X). Older releases will remain in the archives, but no new releases with such dependencies.

Re: Explaining React's license

#359

I am no pro in understanding these licensing issue. Can someone help me how this affects if i) ReactJS is used in a company/organisation for their proprietor software? ii) ReactJS is used in a company/organisation for their distributed licensing software? iii) ReactJS is used in a company/organisation for a software which is opensourced?

If you use React you basically can't sue Facebook for infringing your patents, so it is giving them a free pass on your IP.

Of course you can sue them. It just comes with consequences.

Re: Explaining React's license

#360

Does MIT license work for Apache in this case ? If yes, they can easily switch to Preact; https://preactjs.com/

Yes, it works just fine. Many projects at Apache rely on MIT-licensed code, and I know that several of the Apache projects are looking towards Preact as a replacement for their dependency upon React.
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