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React Native is now open source

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Re: React Native is now open source

#121
post #113

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Any idea what there is in React that Facebook have or are likely to have Patents over? Presumably, using another React-like framework might open you up to issues with these without the (limited) protection of the patent grant.

[deleted]

I'm interpreting the "this license will revoke" as referring to the additional patent grant, not the BSD license for use of the software.

Re: React Native is now open source

#122
post #7

The first thing I do now on each Facebook open-source reveal, is to check the PATENTS file for the toxic second paragraph, to see if they've changed it. Sadly, no. I can't imagine being able to use this at any decent-sized company with lawyers. :-( https://github.com/facebook/react-native/blob/master/PATENTS See for example the discussions at https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9111849 (eg. https://news.ycombinator.…

I guess lawyers like run-on sentences. That second paragraph is one sentence, and is one of the longest I have seen. I guess the more complicated a sentence is composed, the more opportunity for legal interpretation.

Re: React Native is now open source

#123
post #7

The first thing I do now on each Facebook open-source reveal, is to check the PATENTS file for the toxic second paragraph, to see if they've changed it. Sadly, no. I can't imagine being able to use this at any decent-sized company with lawyers. :-( https://github.com/facebook/react-native/blob/master/PATENTS See for example the discussions at https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9111849 (eg. https://news.ycombinator.…

Yahoo and Netflix are using React, right? Do you (or anyone) know why they consider the license acceptable, but Google wouldn't?

Re: React Native is now open source

#124
post #7

The first thing I do now on each Facebook open-source reveal, is to check the PATENTS file for the toxic second paragraph, to see if they've changed it. Sadly, no. I can't imagine being able to use this at any decent-sized company with lawyers. :-( https://github.com/facebook/react-native/blob/master/PATENTS See for example the discussions at https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9111849 (eg. https://news.ycombinator.…

> Full disclosure: I work at Google, where many are sad to not be able to use recent Facebook code.

I'm confused. The Facebook PATENTS stuff seems no worse than MIT-licensed code that includes no patent grant at all.

In other words, if the PATENTS termination clause takes effect, then the software essentially reverts to being plain MIT, instead of MIT + patent grant, right?

EDIT: Appears the issue is implicit vs explicit patent grant, and the Facebook PATENTS stuff can indeed be worse than no patent grant. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9113515

Re: React Native is now open source

#125
post #7

The first thing I do now on each Facebook open-source reveal, is to check the PATENTS file for the toxic second paragraph, to see if they've changed it. Sadly, no. I can't imagine being able to use this at any decent-sized company with lawyers. :-( https://github.com/facebook/react-native/blob/master/PATENTS See for example the discussions at https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9111849 (eg. https://news.ycombinator.…

Any idea what there is in React that Facebook have or are likely to have Patents over? Presumably, using another React-like framework might open you up to issues with these without the (limited) protection of the patent grant.

I don't think anyone has been able to answer this (and I suspect anyone at Facebook who might know is not allowed to bring it up).

But I think you've made a very good point. If you're not going to avoid all component-based and/or virtual-DOM view engines, picking an alternative to React may not give you any advantage in a legal situation.

Re: React Native is now open source

#126
post #7

The first thing I do now on each Facebook open-source reveal, is to check the PATENTS file for the toxic second paragraph, to see if they've changed it. Sadly, no. I can't imagine being able to use this at any decent-sized company with lawyers. :-( https://github.com/facebook/react-native/blob/master/PATENTS See for example the discussions at https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9111849 (eg. https://news.ycombinator.…

Thanks for bringing this up. I'm now waiting to hear from our lawyers to know if we should avoid using this.

Re: React Native is now open source

#127

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So, basically, if you sue Facebook on grounds of patent/copyright infringement for any reason, you don't get to use their software?

No, it doesn't mean that. It means that you lose the additional license to use any of Facebook's patents that may cover React. These may or may not exist.

Then why say "whether or not such claim is related to the Software?" That would imply just the opposite to me.

Re: React Native is now open source

#128
post #7

The first thing I do now on each Facebook open-source reveal, is to check the PATENTS file for the toxic second paragraph, to see if they've changed it. Sadly, no. I can't imagine being able to use this at any decent-sized company with lawyers. :-( https://github.com/facebook/react-native/blob/master/PATENTS See for example the discussions at https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9111849 (eg. https://news.ycombinator.…

This license is great since it reduces the chance of patent litigation in general.

Re: React Native is now open source

#129
post #7

The first thing I do now on each Facebook open-source reveal, is to check the PATENTS file for the toxic second paragraph, to see if they've changed it. Sadly, no. I can't imagine being able to use this at any decent-sized company with lawyers. :-( https://github.com/facebook/react-native/blob/master/PATENTS See for example the discussions at https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9111849 (eg. https://news.ycombinator.…

> Full disclosure: I work at Google, where many are sad to not be able to use recent Facebook code. I'm confused. The Facebook PATENTS stuff seems no worse than MIT-licensed code that includes no patent grant at all. In other words, if the PATENTS termination clause takes effect, then the software essentially reverts to being plain MIT, instead of MIT + patent grant, right? EDIT: Appears the issue is implicit vs expl…

IANAL, but the argument seems to be that there is an implicit patent grant in the MIT license. MIT gives you a license to use the software, and you can't use the software without a patent grant, therefore you have an implicit patent grant. The existence of an explicit patent grant means that you can use React without an implicit patent grant, so you don't just automatically get one if you lose the explicit patent grant.

Re: React Native is now open source

#130
post #100
post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The license… will terminate… for anyone that [claims] infringement of any patent… by Facebook… whether or not such claim is related to the Software. > The license… will terminate… for anyone that [claims] infringement of any patent… by any party if such claim arises… from any software, product or service of Facebook. > The license… will terminate… for anyone that [claims] infringement of any patent… by any party re…

[deleted]

No, but it does say "you agree any kind of claim we make is true".
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