Ask HN: Is asking for objections enough to change license from MIT to Apache?

2 pointsslimsag3 comments

I saw an open source project recently trying to change their license from MIT -> Apache 2.0, and to do it they've just tagged all past contributors in a PR and asked for objections by a certain date (or else they will go through with changing the license of all past contributions).

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Yes, it is. The owners can issue the software/code under any license they please. However, a change in license works forward in time only, not retroactively. So, if you download the software today under the MIT, that download is forever under MIT.

Edit: Someone downvoted this? WTH?

Wouldn't it only work for future contributions, though? i.e. wouldn't all past contributions be under the MIT license still, unless the contributor explicitly agreed?

That's right, unless the contributor agreement says otherwise.

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