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My open source project was relicensed by a YC company [license updated]

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Re: My open source project was relicensed by a YC company [license updated]

#51
post #39
post #38

Maybe I’m looking at the wrong repos but both appear to be GPL-3 (or maybe it was relicensed back to original GPL-3?) https://github.com/sohzm/cheating-daddy https://github.com/pickle-com/glass

yeah he changed it rn https://github.com/pickle-com/glass/commit/5c462179acface889...

He=you? What's the game here. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44460855

Re: My open source project was relicensed by a YC company [license updated]

#52

Is there a way to file lawsuits for such cases? These incidents lead to death of open-source and crush hearts of open-source developers.

Absolutely. The lawsuit probably wouldn't get very far when it comes to damages, however...

Re: My open source project was relicensed by a YC company [license updated]

#53
post #18
post #4

Is this the Soham?

If you're talking about the remote work scammer in the news today, that's Soham Parekh. This is Soham Bharambe. Both are into cheating, apparently... For those that missed it: https://techcrunch.com/2025/07/03/who-is-soham-parekh-the-se...

The Year of Soham on HN.

Re: My open source project was relicensed by a YC company [license updated]

#54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A GPL violation is a GPL violation.

I made an OSS tool to help you cheat on your taxes, screw your business partner, or ensure your ex wife cannot see the children. Someone stole the source and is backed by a major VC firm. Is the thought different at all or exactly the same? Just raising the question.

Google search and the internet can help you with all of those. Maybe we should ban the internet.

Re: My open source project was relicensed by a YC company [license updated]

#55

Is there a way to file lawsuits for such cases? These incidents lead to death of open-source and crush hearts of open-source developers.

I believe that BusyBox sued over violations like 17 years ago. I am not aware of any other instances.

Re: My open source project was relicensed by a YC company [license updated]

#56
post #42

looks like they fixed it: https://github.com/pickle-com/glass/commit/5c462179acface889... let's not freak out - you can't "steal" open-source code, they used an incompatible license. that was accidentally too free. people monetizing something you open-source isn't stealing.

From what I understand, it would be a breach of contract at minimum (based on what I remember from past discussions of this sort of activity involving different participants).

If someone else has a better idea of what “forking GPL 3 source code and using a different licence” would be, then please let me and others know.

Re: My open source project was relicensed by a YC company [license updated]

#57
post #42

looks like they fixed it: https://github.com/pickle-com/glass/commit/5c462179acface889... let's not freak out - you can't "steal" open-source code, they used an incompatible license. that was accidentally too free. people monetizing something you open-source isn't stealing.

You're ignoring the part about attribution due to copyright law, see: https://opensource.stackexchange.com/questions/13038/does-so...

Re: My open source project was relicensed by a YC company [license updated]

#58
post #42

looks like they fixed it: https://github.com/pickle-com/glass/commit/5c462179acface889... let's not freak out - you can't "steal" open-source code, they used an incompatible license. that was accidentally too free. people monetizing something you open-source isn't stealing.

Is the copyright still attributed to the original developer?

Re: My open source project was relicensed by a YC company [license updated]

#59
post #51
post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

yeah he changed it rn https://github.com/pickle-com/glass/commit/5c462179acface889...

He=you? What's the game here. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44460855

That's the author of this post talking about the other person changing their licensing to match.

Re: My open source project was relicensed by a YC company [license updated]

#60
Things like this are why I have become disillusioned with Open Source, and why latest projects have been closed source. The GPL is a good enough idea but it is basically impossible for anyone to realistically enforce. If a corporation is selling an optimized binary, then it can be almost impossible to prove that there was any violation of the GPL without viewing the source.
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