Hello everyone, <Joan puts her Apache CouchDB PMC hat on>
I have some difficult news to communicate. Those of you who are more tuned in to the JavaScript world will be aware that the Apache Software Foundation (ASF) has placed the so-called "BSD + Patents" license that Facebook uses in licensing some of its open source technologies, such as the popular React library, into "Category X." This means that we are no longer able to ship React in Apache CouchDB, nor have it as a build dependency, after August 31, 2017. Subsequently, we asked Facebook if they would consider changing the React license to avoid this conflict, as they chose to do for their RocksDB database. About an hour ago, they publicly announced that this would not be forthcoming: https://code.facebook.com/posts/112130496157735/explaining-react-s-license/ This means that we must replace the use of React in Fauxton completely (with something like Vue or preact), and ship CouchDB without Fauxton until the former can be completed (or simply not ship until the rewrite is complete.) No one in the PMC is suggesting we remove Fauxton completely from CouchDB either now or in the future - we consider our web UI a defining feature of the product and would consider a Fauxton-less release of CouchDB incomplete. I would like to open the discussion towards the Fauxton rewrite, and specifically: * Which replacement library do we like the best? Why? * Who is willing to step up to lead this change? * Do you know any good JS devs willing to help us? Those who are interested in the reasons why this policy decision was reached by the ASF are encouraged to read the following links: https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/LEGAL-303 https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/LEGAL-319 https://github.com/facebook/react/issues/10191 PLEASE do not devolve this thread into discussion about Facebook's decision, or why the ASF has made the policy decision that they have; such discussions lead nowhere, and CouchDB is not in a position to influence either organisation to change their decisions. On behalf of the CouchDB PMC, Joan Touzet
