Would you mind elaborating on that? I am interested in a super-copyleft license for my next project and thought that AGPL was the "best" option out there. In what ways can it be bypassed?
What is your project? I'd like to know, if you're willing to tell.
As far as I'm concerned, SSPL is superior to AGPL in that it catches all the bits that make your software actually work, forcing you to include them as part of the offering. I honestly don't understand the apparent objection to referring to a license with such a clause as open source - all it does is close a (major imo) loophole.
So I can't run a service for it on VPS at a hosting provider, because I can not share the source to the backup system, hypervisor and load-balancer they use? Are firmware-blobs in my kernel-drivers ok? That seems extremely open and far-reaching, to the point that one could argue that it clearly is intended to forbid offerings as a service, even if it pretends not to.
EDIT: after looking up details about the "comical debate" (quote article), that indeed appears to have been one of the arguments. Not surprising the article badmouths the OSI, but doesn't actually engage with or even dare mention their arguments.
Edit: From the sibling comment, it seems that SSPLv2 tries to address this.
SSPL v2 appears to be an attempt to correct this[1], by explicitly excluding system components and allowing other FSF/OSI approved licenses if you're unable to release something under the SSPL yourself. But note that not even MongoDB, the project that the SSPL came from, is using v2 at the moment.
The GPL and AGPL have been around longer and have much more of a community behind them, and both versions of the SSPL are incompatible with them. At least for the time being, I'm inclined to stick with the AGPL for network services, because I like having access to all the GPL/AGPL code out there. Maybe someday I'll take a look at SSPL v2; I wouldn't touch SSPL v1 with a 10-foot pole.
[0] "all programs that you use to make the Program or modified version available as a service, including, without limitation, management software, user interfaces, application program interfaces, automation software, monitoring software, backup software, storage software and hosting software" [1] http://lists.opensource.org/pipermail/license-review_lists.o...
> “storage software and hosting software” changed to “host orchestration software”
seems to be fairly reasonable though, unless I've misunderstood things once again?
> But note that not even MongoDB, the project that the SSPL came from, is using v2 at the moment.
From the page you linked,
> If this version is approved by OSI, we plan to apply it to the next release of our MongoDB software, which is currently available under version 1.0.
so it seems they really do just want to address the current loophole in the AGPL.
>seems to be fairly reasonable though, unless I've misunderstood things once again?
It's better, though note that the terms in the list referenced there aren't strictly defined.
>> If this version is approved by OSI, we plan to apply it to the next release of our MongoDB software, which is currently available under version 1.0.
>so it seems they really do just want to address the current loophole in the AGPL.
Sure, I'll give them the benefit of the doubt on that. But the fact that they haven't switched over by now signals to me that they're not yet confident in the newer version of the license; if they're not, I can't say I am either.
And it's worth noting that SSPL v2 was withdrawn from the OSI review process back in March: https://opensource.org/LicenseReview032019
> the fact that they haven't switched over by now signals to me that they're not yet confident in the newer version of the license; if they're not, I can't say I am either.
Agreed; I wouldn't want to make use of it either until the dust is well settled.
Specifically overreach ambiguity and as mentioned compatibility with other popular copyleft licenses are valid reasons for me.
It seems reasonable for anyone that cares to switch to AGPL now and to an compatible stronger successor, perhaps SSPLv2 but it will take a bit of time. It's great that some are starting to test this.
Remember when there was a ban on any type of open source? We now have to take another step to the left together. The only ones that would truly miss out are the ones serving proprietized and not just using community software.