Here’s why we are going open source • Hacker News Board

Re: Here’s why we are going open source

#21

Post by eeZah7Ux » Wed, Mar 31, 2021, 9:01 PM UTC

wrnr wrote: post #7

How does the choice for AGPL influence third-party consumers of governments deployments the citizenlab platform? I understand this license closes the network loophole in GPL by forcing all calling code to be released under the AGPL, so I be interested to know if I can call apis and download data of my government website without sharing it or talking to citizenlab. Maybe I am a little paranoid but this feels like a bi…

> forcing all calling code to be released under the AGPL

No. If you modify an AGPL network service you have to share the changes. If you call the API from a client you have no obligations.

Re: Here’s why we are going open source

#22

Post by nerdponx » Wed, Mar 31, 2021, 10:26 PM UTC

Ansil849 wrote: post #18

I'm genuinely wondering how is it legal for a company to take the same name as an unaffiliated nonprofit?

It's not unless it's a trademark violation (e.g. if the name collision might cause confusion).

Re: Here’s why we are going open source

#23

Post by webmobdev » Thu, Apr 01, 2021, 12:32 AM UTC

ddevault wrote: post #9

They're asking contributors to sign a CLA which assigns copyright for your changes to them. Quick reminder: do not sign this kind of agreement. It's deliberately designed for them to pull the rug out from under you and make this proprietary again after a period of enjoying the benefits of community contributions. Shame on them for asking in the first place.

On a different issue - Without such a CLA, can they dual-license and commercialise their product? How did MySQL work for example?

Re: Here’s why we are going open source

#24

Post by webmobdev » Thu, Apr 01, 2021, 12:35 AM UTC

wrnr wrote: post #13

Mathnerd314 wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The loophole is someone hosting a modified instance without publishing their source code changes. I don't think it affects data or APIs at all.

Oh so I can basically do a SaaS and as long as I don't change the codebase without charing the changes its ok

Yes. If you don't change the code base to modify or add a new feature, there is nothing to share. If you add to, or modify any of the existing features of the web application, you are obliged to share the code for the same under AGPL, on request.

Re: Here’s why we are going open source

#25

Post by Ansil849 » Thu, Apr 01, 2021, 6:44 AM UTC

nerdponx wrote: post #22

Ansil849 wrote: post #18

I'm genuinely wondering how is it legal for a company to take the same name as an unaffiliated nonprofit?

It's not unless it's a trademark violation (e.g. if the name collision might cause confusion).

To make sure I understand correctly: you are saying it would be fine to start a nonprofit called Google, whose mission is to let's say raise awareness about recycling?

Re: Here’s why we are going open source

#26

Post by nerdponx » Thu, Apr 01, 2021, 11:13 PM UTC

Ansil849 wrote: post #25

nerdponx wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's not unless it's a trademark violation (e.g. if the name collision might cause confusion).

To make sure I understand correctly: you are saying it would be fine to start a nonprofit called Google, whose mission is to let's say raise awareness about recycling?

(IANAL) No, but only because Google is a ubiquitous brand. If Google were still a small startup, yes. But my knowledge of this stuff is only surface level. I can do more digging.