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FYI: An appeals court may kill a GNU GPL software license (go.theregister.com)

submitted 1 week ago by godiganbabay@ponder.cat to c/opensource@programming.dev

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cross-posted from: https://rss.ponder.cat/post/120321

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[–] Kissaki@programming.dev 7 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Neo4j provided database software under the AGPLv3, then tweaked the license, leading to legal battles over forks of the software. The AGPLv3 includes language that says any added restrictions or requirements are removable, meaning someone could just file off Neo4j's changes to the usage and distribution license, reverting it back to the standard AGPLv3, which the biz has argued and successfully fought against in that California district court.

The issue before the appeals court boils down to the right to remove contractual restrictions added to the terms of the APGL. This right is spelled out in AGPLv3, section 7, paragraph 4: "If the program as you received it, or any part of it, contains a notice stating that it is governed by this license along with a term that is a further restriction, you may remove that term." Other GPLs contain similar terms.

"Licensed under AGPL but not AGPL"? It's a named license that people have expectations on. I assume if they had said "licensed under aa modified AGPL license" it would have been fine? Seems reasonable/makes sense.

How does that become "may kill a GPL license"? Key word "a"? (When it's not one.)