Re: Licenses -- webapp users protection

[MJ Ray]

Davi Leal <address@hidden> wrote:
> We must use an Affero-like license to:
>
>   1. keep the webapp-user's freedom. Users must be able to know
>      the source code which manages their data.

OK, so I've explained why Affero-like licenses do not let users know
the source code which manages their data, but it is still repeated as
if it were true.  Is it understood why these licences fail when faced
with an untrustworthy service provider?

Merely repeating the same falsehood will not make it true.

>   2. try to avoid the split of the association. The bigger is
>      the association the stronger it will be.

Rather, this is almost guaranteeing that the association will split,
between people who think that Affero clauses are OK for free software
and those who think such use restrictions are non-free.

[...]
> > AGPL is a massive distraction from the best ways of ensuring users
> > will be always sure about what code manages their data: user
> > participation in the project management!
>
> We can have both,
>   * AGPLv3 licensing, to enforce it with law if we need it, and
>   * participate in the project management too.

Well, how to participate in the project management?  Will we be
able to take stakes in GNU Herds Ltd or similar?  One member, one
vote?  It looks like discussions on this list can be trivially trumped
by confusing pronouncements of the GNU project leaders, which is a
problem.

Regards,
-- 
MJ Ray http://mjr.towers.org.uk/email.html tel:+44-844-4437-237 -
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