Hacker Newsnew | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submitlogin

> Google is known to be deathly allergic to the AGPL license. Not only on servers; they don't even allow employees to use AGPL software on workstations. If you write free software, and you'd prefer that Google not use it, a good way to ensure that is to license it under the AGPL.

Man, the open source/free software community should have taken AGPL seriously



Licensing software to make it antagonistic to business is a good way to ensure no one is ever paid to improve it, which is a good way to see it stagnate. Do you really think Linux would have gone anywhere had it been licensed under those terms? There’s a reason it never moved to GPLv3.


Looks like it's possible to have a "Lesser" AGPL. libbitcoin[1] uses such a license.

Also licensing things under a dual AGPL/commercial license seems perfect for things like databases. Mongo uses it IIRC.

[1] https://github.com/libbitcoin/libbitcoin/blob/master/COPYING




Consider applying for YC's Fall 2025 batch! Applications are open till Aug 4

Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: