Has an effort been made, or otherwise ruled out, at contacting the authors/publishers of the other React libraries in use, to see if a re-licensing or dual-licensing favorable to the ASF might be negotiated?
On August 19, 2017 12:50:42 PM GMT+02:00, Jan Lehnardt <j...@apache.org> wrote: >Thanks for getting the ball rolling Joan, > >If you are interested in the licensing/policy details, I’ve summed >things up on my blog: >http://writing.jan.io/2017/08/19/understanding-the-facebook-vs-asf-license-kerfuffle.html >— if you want to comment on this, please start a new thread, or email >me privately. This thread is only for what we do next with Fauxton. > >* * * > >To take a bit of pressure out of this decision making process, I want >to bring up an option that unblocks us indefinitely for making new >releases at the expense of end-user experience. > >It’s a little bit of work, but not as much as anything approaching a >rewrite. > >1. move apache-fauxton to its own GitHub organisation outside of the >ASF >(we can always re-integrate it later) >2. publish release builds as tarballs somewhere on the web. >3. replace /_utils in CouchDB with a custom route that displays a >simple web ui with a button “install Fauxton” that goes away once >Fauxton is installed, that then fetches a Fauxton release tarball from >outside the ASF and installs it on the user system. > >There is some infrastructure work to be done, and the added >inconvenience for our end-users is not something I’d like to keep up >for long. > >But should we decide to take this option (or one like it), it would >allow us to not have to rush with a Fauxton adaptation, or be blocked >on releases, or have no admin UI in a release. > >* * * > >Garren has already done some experiments with preact[1] (a react-API >compatible rendering library with a compatible license) and has a basic >prototype running. Since we are also using additional React libraries >that have no corresponding equivalent in preact-land, Garren expects to >migration work to take 1-2 months of development time, something I’m >not sure we are able to afford at this point. > >[1]: https://preactjs.com > >* * * > >Moving to a library that isn’t React-API compatible would be close to a >complete Fauxton rewrite which would likely take years at our pace, and >would break compatibility with downstream addons (that we know Cloudant >are using). > >As such, my preference would be to stick with the React-API and find a >minimal replacement for what we need. But I’d like to leave the final >decision to the Fauxton team. > >* * * > >I’d be happy to help with a recruiting drive to get more folks helping >to do the port. > >Best >Jan >— > > > > > >> On 19. Aug 2017, at 02:40, Joan Touzet <woh...@apache.org> wrote: >> >> 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 > >-- >Professional Support for Apache CouchDB: >https://neighbourhood.ie/couchdb-support/ -- Sent from my Android device with K-9 Mail. Please excuse my brevity.
