FLOSS Weekly (Audio)

FLOSS Weekly 747: New, Hot, Big, and Doomed - Business Software License, OpenELA Initiative

Aug 30, 2023

Open source expert Doc Searls discusses the challenges faced by open source companies as they grow, including Red Hat's source code distribution changes and the formation of the Open Enterprise Linux Association. The podcast also covers the control exerted by companies over open source projects, the shift towards 'source available' licenses, concerns about AI-generated code, Apple's support for right-to-repair, and the issues with USB-C cables and McDonald's ice cream machines.

01:09:09

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Doc Searls

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

The right to repair movement is gaining momentum in Europe and the United States, promoting consumer choice and reducing electronic waste.

Capitalism and open source can coexist and even benefit each other, as demonstrated by the success of the Linux kernel.

The adoption of restrictive licenses like the Business Source License raises concerns about violating the principles of open source and faces growing backlash in the community.

Deep dives

Europe's proposed right to repair law

Europe is making progress in implementing a proposed right to repair law for consumer electronics. The law aims to ensure that manufacturers make their products open enough to be repaired by consumers, reducing electronic waste and promoting sustainability.

Introduction

1min

Red Hat's Source Code Distribution Rules and the Open Enterprise Linux Association

16min

Big Companies and their Behavior in the Open Source World

4min

Open Source and Company Control

24min

Open Source, AI-generated Code, and Legal Issues

10min

Progress of Right to Repair Laws and Apple's Support

4min

USB-C Variability and McDonald's Ice Cream Machines

5min

4min

Doc Searls, Dan Lynch, and Jonathan Bennett talk about what happens when open source companies get too big for the licenses that helped them get there, and how their communities are dealing with that.

Red Hat recently changed its source code distribution rules, prompting other vendors like Oracle, SUSE, and CIQ to form the Open Enterprise Linux Association in response. What are the implications of these changes, and do Red Hat's actions violate the GPL?
Canonical's tight control over the LXD container management project, pulling it back in-house from the open source community which led to a community fork being created called Incus.
Companies like MongoDB and Hashicorp are moving away from open source licenses towards "source available" licenses like the Business Source License (BSL) that restrict commercial use.
There are growing concerns around using AI-generated code from tools like GitHub Copilot, and whether copyright and licensing restrictions carry over.
Apple reverses its stance on right-to-repair, with Apple throwing its support behind a California right-to-repair bill.
iFixit and Public Knowledge have been hit with a DMCA violation for creating a device that interacts with a McDonald's ice cream machine.

Hosts: Doc Searls, Dan Lynch, and Jonathan Bennett

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