Re:OpenTF Repository is now Public
by kstrauser on Tuesday September 05, 2023 @02:30PM
(#37395826)
I agree that it seems to be an ethical issue rather than a legal one.
I'm coming down strongly on the side of the users, though. Hashicorp chose the original license, and the one they picked is perfectly fine with the idea of someone else building off it. I mean, it was written by the Mozilla folks. They want people to build off their projects and make a nicer Internet!
Hashicorp could've used a different license if they wanted to. They deliberately chose one that gives users the rights to build on Hashicorp's work -- and yes, even to profit off it at a competitor. What I don't think HC has is the right to act shocked when others use the software under the terms they were allowed to use it.
I'm coming down strongly on the side of the users, though. Hashicorp chose the original license, and the one they picked is perfectly fine with the idea of someone else building off it. I mean, it was written by the Mozilla folks. They want people to build off their projects and make a nicer Internet!
Hashicorp could've used a different license if they wanted to. They deliberately chose one that gives users the rights to build on Hashicorp's work -- and yes, even to profit off it at a competitor. What I don't think HC has is the right to act shocked when others use the software under the terms they were allowed to use it.