this post was submitted on 16 Nov 2025
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I ask this because I think of the recent switch of Ubuntu to the Rust recode of the GNU core utils, which use an MIT license. There are many Rust recodes of GPL software that re-license it as a pushover MIT or Apache licenses. I worry these relicensing efforts this will significantly harm the FOSS ecosystem. Is this reason to start worrying or is it not that bad?

IMO, if the FOSS world makes something public, with extensive liberties, then the only thing that should be asked in return is that people preserve these liberties, like the GPL successfully enforces. These pushover licenses preserve nothing.

OQB @ZkhqrD5o@lemmy.world

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[–] Sanctus@anarchist.nexus 9 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

Imagine having to pay for each library your computer uses. We'd just as soon stop using computers than do that.

[–] ulterno@programming.dev 15 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

Imagine paying for Windows


I used an Open Source library for work.
I asked my company to consider donating to them.
Nothing...

They'd rather pay for MS Teams even when it doesn't work reliably.
I offered to help with setting up a WebRTC server.
Nothing...

The only ones actually caring about donating to FOSS projects are a few of the developers, that realise the effort that goes into it and also have enough money to spare.

[–] refalo@programming.dev 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I wonder if a dual-licensed non-commercial + paid commercial approach could work, but from my experience with FOSS developers, they tend to view non-commercial licenses as sacrilege...

[–] ulterno@programming.dev 1 points 1 day ago

Well yeah, that's not really FOSS, right?