Should we be using the GNU AGPL?

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hamishmb
Posts: 1891
Joined: 16/05/2017, 16:41

Should we be using the GNU AGPL?

Post by hamishmb »

Recently I read an article about the AGPL and I have been wondering if it might be useful for the software we develop here as it provides extra network-use-related protections.

There's a fairly short article that explains is properly here: https://www.fsf.org/bulletin/2021/fall/ ... the-agplv3

Thoughts?
Hamish
TerryJC
Posts: 2616
Joined: 16/05/2017, 17:17

Re: Should we be using the GNU AGPL?

Post by TerryJC »

Personally, I don't think it would make much difference. We really aren't producing anything that some bad actor could monetise, so extra protection won't bring anything useful to the party.

When i started working on software at WMT (Model Railway Lighting), I chose the GPL because I didn't feel comfortable about using stacks of GPLd code (eg the OS, etc) and then taking the default position on Copyright (eg, what's mine is mine). The GPL was well-established, simple to understand and held out the prospect that someone might give something back.

The alternative at the time was the BSD Licence, but I felt that could get messy if we had to mix our code with GPLd code.
Terry
hamishmb
Posts: 1891
Joined: 16/05/2017, 16:41

Re: Should we be using the GNU AGPL?

Post by hamishmb »

This seems reasonable. And yeah, mixing BSD-license code with GPL can get very complicated. Also it doesn't really protect model town IP very well.

I guess I'll apply the same rules for my stuff - new projects might as well be AGPL, but I don't see much point changing existing ones.
Hamish
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