webbluetooth
webbluetooth copied to clipboard
thegecko
Update license to GPLv3 to account for SimpleBLE new commercial license
See https://github.com/OpenBluetoothToolbox/SimpleBLE?tab=readme-ov-file#license for more details.
Since February 15th 2024, SimpleBLE is now available under the GNU General Public License version 3 (GPLv3), with the option for a commercial license without the GPLv3 restrictions available for a fee.
The GPLv3 license ensures that end users have the freedom to run, study, share, and modify the software. It requires that any modified versions of SimpleBLE, or any software incorporating it, also be distributed under the GPLv3. Essentially, if your project incorporates SimpleBLE and is distributed, the entire codebase must be open-source under the GPLv3.
This isn't something I'm keen to jump in to lightly. Changing the license of this project also affects consumers of this project.
Therefore, if the license of SimpleBLE is changing and webbluetooth decides to remain MIT licensed, we will pin the SimpleBLE version to to a prior release still using MIT (currently v0.6.1)
Indeed, it does seem that 0.6.1 is still under MIT. But what does this mean for the future of this library though? You will not be able to get any fix or improvement from SimpleBLE then.
You will not be able to get any fix or improvement from SimpleBLE then.
This needs to be balanced with the potential that the license change means existing users can no longer use this library without having to OSS their own software.
Keen for input from others here.
