Companies are slowly starting to accept the model of saas, and in some cases actually prefer it. Using the ordinary gpl for a library gives free software developers an advantage over. The above post is the conclusion of an essay i had to write for my university, titled. In a nutshell, the idea of lgpl d projects usually libraries is that you are free to use them as you wish in your own application, be it open or closed source, free or proprietary as long as you publish the source code of the lgpl d part if you modify the lgpl d part, you must publish the modified sources, under lgpl. Today, distribution can be a thornier question for businesses that deploy software through the internet, cloud, or a saas model. Ive checked that there are similar products like \\this one management software for automobile after sales. Mpl mozilla public license is a little more lenient than lgpl as it only covers the files to which the license is applied. Lgpl lesser gnu public license is more lenient than gpl. The gnu affero general public license version 3 agplv3 is a copyleft license nearly identical to the gplv3. What you need to know this post is an effort to explain and answer common questions about the lgpl, like how it can be used, how contagious it is, and other useful information. May 12, 2015 software as a service and gnu gpl licensing is not complex, the motto of the license is for disallowing the softwares to control the users and modify, distribute, develop, use the softwares with full freedom along with the other points written in the license. The lgpl license allows you to distribute these mariadb client libraries freely with any application. The first version of the affero general public license agplv1, was published by affero, inc. How can i legally use lgpl javascript in a commercial web.
You mention that it is licensed under the lgpl, with reference to the full license. Mar 29, 2007 gplv3 and software as a service by brett smith contributions published on mar 29, 2007 09. Lgpl allows you to use and distribute the open source software with your application without releasing the source code for your application. Originally known as the gnu library general public license, it was drafted by the free software foundation fsf to provide a weaker or lesser form of copyleft for use in certain specific circumstances. First, there are a number of licenses, most notably the agpl, that. Software as a service saas is just a software enabled service that is offered on the web, on a month to month subscription or on a pay per use basis, rather than having to purchase or license the software 12. The gnu lesser general public license lgpl is a freesoftware license published by the free software foundation fsf. Many softwareasa service saas contracts grant a license to use the vendors software. Lgpl v3 odoo community license to be used in a commercial. The opensource hardware wikpedia page mentions that. The lgpl license explicitly allows such usages of librariespackages released under that license. Jun 24, 2008 open source, gpl and saas one of them is the ability to make good use of gpled software.
How cloud computing and software as a service are affecting licenses. How can saas companies ensure that they are complying to their open source. Such new versions will be similar in spirit to the present version, but may differ in detail to address new problems or concerns. Is hosting a software as a saas offering considered as distribution under gpl.
You can therefore only license code under the lgpl 2. As far as the regular gpl and lgpl are concerned, providing access to use your software over a network like in saas is not considered distribution. It allows you to call a library covered by lgpl without having to open source your code. If a library is released under the gpl not the lgpl, does that mean that any software which uses it has to be under the gpl or a gplcompatible license. That mobile app needs some sort of license granting agreement, like the enduser license agreement. Also if you know other saas services made on top of odoo community edition i would like to know about. I recently answered a linkedin question about whether providing software as a service saas is considered a distribution under the opensource gnu general public license. Cloud computing saas licenses is agpl the solution. The incompatibility of apache2 and gpl2 is well documented. The affero general public license affero gpl and informally affero license is a free software license. In a license, the customer gets rights to copy and use software, while in a services contract, the customer gets a service, like tech support or it consulting. When the copyleft agpl was first published, many leaders in the open source community had something to say about the issue of a supposed loophole in the gpl open source license that allowed saas companies to integrate gpl open source libraries without sharing their code. In contrast to lgpl, gpl requires that you provide the code for all changes made to the software. Gpl requires you to release the source code of your application if you choose to use and distribute the gpl licensed open source software.
While an eula isnt necessary for a saas app without a mobile or desktop app, most saas apps do have at least a mobile app. The mariadb client library included with the mariadb server is also gpl version 2, but has a floss exception that allows you to combine it with most other open source software, without conflicting. The only major threat to open source software license models like the gpl is the spread of cloud computing and software as a service saas business models. You can use it too, but we suggest you first think carefully about whether this license or the ordinary general public license. You only have to contribute back if you add to that library. Why you shouldnt use the lesser gpl for your next library. As far as the regular gpl and lgpl are concerned, providing access to use your software over a network like in saas. The free software foundation has published a family of software licenses. You should have received a copy of the gnu lesser general public license along with this library. Among the two gpl is the basis of open source software for programmers. These are significant changes from the traditional software model where you store your data locally and your enterprise licenses the software it uses. The apache software foundation uses various licenses to distribute software and documentation, to accept regular contributions from individuals and corporations, and to accept larger grants of existing software products. As far as the regular gpl and lgpl are concerned, providing access to.
Some poeple will love your software but distrust the saas idea. In the agpl license, saas is considered distribution and requires. In this blog entry we will only consider version 3, the current version of these licenses. Saas use of opensource software is not distribution who. Some of the other licenses that can raise such issues include the open software license 3. Dont use license agreements for softwareasaservice. Saas is a service, as the name implies, and it doesnt need a license. Since gpl requires providing access to source code, and agplv3 section is an additional condition specifically added to plug the loophole in saas like software, does not it imply that agplv3 also requires providing source code access, irrespective of whether it is modified or not. We frequently draft and negotiate data license agreements, software asaservice saas agreements, website terms and other services agreements in which data is the core subject of the license. Ive checked that there are similar products like \this one management software. Open source software rules for startups, part ii lot network. Software as a service saas license agreement sample.
Basic differences between saas, subscription and traditional perpetual licenses. If your software is a combinedderivate work withof apache2 software, you cannot license that software under the gpl2 and therefore cannot license it under the lgpl 2. Most open source licenses have no conditions for saas use. Rather than creating a new license, some opensource hardware projects simply use existing, free and opensource software licenses. Frequently asked questions about the gnu licenses gnu project. Lgpl software used only as a dynamically linked library. The most important one is the gnu general public license, but there is also the gnu lesser general public license and the gnu affero general public license. Saas use of opensource software is not distribution who gnu. Revised versions of the gnu lesser general public license. The businessmens guide to open source licenses software. The difference between the gpl and the lgpl is that with the lgpl, the entire work doesnt have to have the same license. Gplv3 and software as a service free software foundation. Can i use an lgpllicenced library in my commercial app. Software as a service saas is a model where software is hosted in one place but licensed by subscription for use by customers.
Software licensed with any gnu license can be used and modified everywhere. In a similar fashion id like to use them for my opensource hardware projects gpl for schematic and pcbs, lgpl for schematic symbols and pcb modules. Sep 12, 2011 most it contract drafters know the difference between a software license agreement and a technology services contract. Saas vs local distribution and gpl implications licensing.
The importance of the technology model to contract drafting written by kristie prinz on friday, january 30th, 2015 when i am first retained by a software. The gnu lesser general public license, also known as the lgpl, is a more permissive version of the gpl the gnu general public license. A lesser general public license is used to license free software so that it can be incorporated into both free software and proprietary software, and is often referred to as the weaker sibling of gpl. Saas providers will often get asked to create onpremise versions of their software. There is a reasonable description at gnu affero general public license wikipedia and the actual license text is available at gnu affero general public license but to make a long story. Lgpl is weaker because it allows dynamic linking to other proprietary code. Traditional software licensing model global software vendors are starting to feel the disruptive effects of the software as a service business model saas. If you do that, then youd be distributing the software.
Dont use license agreements for software as a service tech. Using full gpl libraries in software as a service saas. The fsf is a charity with a worldwide mission to advance software freedom. Agreement sample assumes no liability for the content of this document or for any action or inaction taken as a result of it. This means that there is no problem with using lgpl libraries in a closedsource saas project. However, under one strong copyleft license, the affero general public license agpl, the reciprocity or sharealike requirements are triggered not only if the software is distributed to others, but also if the software is provided on a hosted i. The lgpl license allows an application that references the binaries to remain closedsource. The software is delivered online via a browser and is hosted by the.
In fact, the two models for software licensing open source and. Either way, the software functionality remains the same. What is the difference between gpl, agpl and lgpl licenses. Gplv3 and software as a service free software foundation working together for free software skip to. The saas developers ubershort guide to using open source. Lesser general public license is sometimes referred to as library gpl or gnu libraries, and some associate it with the idea of. How can i legally use lgpl javascript in a commercial web site. The license allows developers and companies to use and integrate a software component released under the lgpl into their own even proprietary software without being required by the terms of a strong copyleft license to release the source code of their own components. The question and answer no longer available on linkedin are reproduced, in slightly edited form, below. This license, the lesser general public license, applies to some specially designated software packagestypically librariesof the free software foundation and other authors who decide to use it. Heres how spotify handles addressing both its subscription service and its mobile app. Lgpl lesser gnu public license, as a larger work, ok. The gnu project has two principal licenses to use for libraries.
Derivatives works including modifications or anything statically linked to the library can only be redistributed under lgpl, but applications. In the saas model, you simply pay for what you use, as you go. This license which was chosen because we wanted to share our software. What you have to watch out for are libraries that have an agpl affero gpl licence. The saas developers ubershort guide to using open source projects. Jul 12, 2007 linux magazines article the gpl has no networked future recognizes a point that ive been making for years. The importance of the technology model to contract drafting written by kristie prinz on friday, january 30th, 2015 when i am first retained by a software company, i inevitably have a conversation with my contact at the company about their technology model. The saas model is growing at an annual rate of 15%20% and will likely represent approximately 25% of the overall software market in the next 5 years. The saas loophole in gpl open source licenses whitesource. But software as a service saas seems to throw a wrench into the. What are the risks of launching a free saas without incorporatingsole prop. Mar 05, 2010 i recently answered a linkedin question about whether providing software as a service saas is considered a distribution under the opensource gnu general public license. Using full gpl libraries in software as a service saas models. However, saas companies still need to be concerned about software licensing.
How saas deals differ from software license deals mark grossman. From the start cura has been developed and shared under the agpl licence affero general public license. As long as you dont distribute your binaries, there is no problem with using gpl libraries or other code in an otherwise closedsource project. Aug 28, 2014 gnu librarylesser general public license lgpl the above copyleft license didnt work for many software libraries because no one who was releasing any type of software commercially or under an alternative license would use them, which was the whole purpose of releasing the libraries. The article describes how during the gpl v3 discussions, there was a move to close the saas loophole by including some of the provisions of the affero general public license or agpl. See the gnu lesser general public license for more details. Software as a service saas license agreement sample this document is intended for informational and self educational purposes, to illustrate the diversity of written agreements. Yes, you can distribute your software without making the source code public and without giving recipients the right to make changes to your software. You may copy, distribute and modify the software provided that modifications are described and licensed for free under lgpl.
The only major threat to open source software license models like the gpl is the spread of cloud computing and software as a. Enterprises are increasingly willing to rely on data storage in the cloud and software as a service saas solutions. Gpl and lgpl open source licensing restrictions stack. Also, theres nothing preventing you from selling an open source app on the microsoft app marketplace. Software as a service and gnu gpl licensing is not complex, the motto of the license is for disallowing the softwares to control the users and modify, distribute, develop, use the softwares with full freedom along with the other points written in the license. Jun 06, 2017 it is often referred to as the library gpl.
Even if you provide something as saas over the internet, some parts of your software javascript. Hi guys, i would like to know if odoos lgpl v3 license gives me the permission to develop a product on top of odoo community edition and to be sold as saas or as independent product. It allows you to call a library covered by lgpl without having. Differences between gpl and lgpl when using licensed software. The gnu lesser general public license lgpl is a free software license published by the free software foundation fsf. Gplv3 and software as a service free software foundation working together for free software skip to content, sitemap or skip to search. Why you shouldnt use the lesser gpl for your next library gnu. A traditional software license described above does not apply to softwareasa service saas contracts because the customer does not download or install copies of the software. At a regular closedsource software company, you cant include any software in your products that you get from the web which carries the gpl gnu public license, because this license requires all derived works to also use the gpl and be open source. Understanding the difference a license purchase is a fairly straightforward way of acquiring software. Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this software and associated documentation files the software, to deal in the software without restriction, including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, andor sell copies of the software, and to permit. Software as a service model is user friendly and incurs comparatively lower cost. Mar, 2017 a traditional software license described above does not apply to software asaservice saas contracts because the customer does not download or install copies of the software.
The customer remotely logs into the vendors system to access and use the software, usually through the internet. Its the price you pay for free access to some awesome software. We also advise technology clients on big data issues that arise in outsourcing, joint venture and other transactional matters. Gpl requires you to release the source code of your application if you choose to use and distribute the gpl licensed open source software with your application. The gnu affero general public license3 agpl is a special license in the family of open source licenses, creating risks and opportunities that do not exist with most other open source licenses. Some experts said it wasnt really needed, while others wondered whether it served the commercial giants of software over the open source community and smaller, younger businesses. A lesser general public license lgpl is a license for opensource software that allows for provisions for including elements of free software in either free or proprietary software. Both licenses have the same copyleft scope, but materially differ in one important way.
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