46
RTRMS
7y

When people suddenly realise that facebook added a patent calsue in 1081 days ago...

Comments
  • 3
    This is soooo true, and even more if you're (like me) just starting and don't have a preference. Is it actually that bad? I don't feel like I got it all
  • 2
    But I love react tho
  • 2
    @daniem10 It might not be a problem on a small scale, or with small companies, but React's terms basically allow Facebook to sue back anyone who'd sue them if that anyone has at least one site running with it. That way, they can just steal anything from companies that use React, and these company will either to stop using it before calling for their rights, or shut up.

    This might not affect you directly, but I think this type of behavior should be punished by a boycott of their products and as much bad PR as possible.

    I also think this kind of practice (the "user waves his right to do anything if we fuck him over" EULA rules) like be illegal, but hey, why would you want ethics in business?
  • 10
    @daniem10 I had that chat with my boss as we 3m into a global white label web app suite of products running react, after doign plenty of research and consulting with lawyers, he came to the conclusion that people are shitting and pissing themselves over then diddly sweet fokol.

    The clause serves as nothing more than a deterant against frivelous lawsuites that plague the american legal system, and 99.9% of people that live in the real world will be completely uneffected by this, and the evidence to support that is greatly strengthened by it takign 3 years for this to become an issue, and not because anyone was in any way legally effected by this, but purely because apache is doing the correct thing and excluding facebooks license to ensure its products and products using its license are truely and unrestrictedly open source.

    All this means is developers who are using react, react native, jest or graphql among others, can no longer classify their software as truely open source without removing any of faebooks code, so they are throwing thier toys out of thier cots and then running around the neighbourhoods raiding other peoples cots and throwing thier toys out too.

    While facebook code is legitimatel yopen source, Apache is simply adding annother exception to its list of exclusions.

    So if You dont care about making software that is 100% beyond the shadow of ad oubt open soruce with no strings or restrictions attached, or you are not a bored fucker planning on filling random law suites against facebook, then you have better things to worry about, like how fast your grass grows between the hours of midnight and 3am under your dogs kennel.
  • 3
    @AlexDeLarge ya, its just as dumb and annoying as the whole situation. people crying over nonsense.
  • 1
    @CptFox that's not completly correct, you can sue fb without any problem. But you are not allowed to sue them for patent laws.
    And I actually think that this is not a bad thing, fuck patents.

    https://github.com/facebook/react/...
  • 4
    @plusgut @CptFox more specific than that, you are allowed to sue them for patent related issues, but the product you claim they infringing on is not allowed to be using react, etc.

    So if you have 10 products using react, and you believe Facebook is infringing on 1 of them, then you need to remove react from that 1 and that 1 ONLY in order to file suite, your right to use react remains in fact on the other 9.

    Its a simple conflict of interest, you cannot us their products in a product that you are claiming they are infringing on at the same time.

    It is instance specific, not blanket coverage, you can use, continue to use, and even create new uses of react, etc, just not in a specific instance/product you feel infringed upon.
  • 1
    @RTRMS oh I didn't know that! thanks.
  • 4
    @plusgut and so don't most people kicking up a storm, and if the actual facts, not the propaganda spouted by the uninformed, we would not need memes like this. Lol.

    Facebook just trying to scare of the bugs, they not swinging their dong around acting all high and mighty, trying legalise steeling.
  • 1
    @RTRMS did you actually read the patents clause? It specifically says if you sue Facebook for any patent infringement, you lose your license, no matter whether or not it's related to the product you're using React (or other Facebook assets) for.
  • 2
    @configurator no, my boss had a patent lawyer do it, because I am developer, it is not my field of experties. The lawyer on the other hand, it is his expertise.

    So my opinion is not the intepretation of a developer, it from that of an industry experied professional.
  • 1
    @RTRMS this is pretty clear, so your lawyer is either wrong or you understand him wrong. If you file _any_ patent suit against Facebook, except in response to a suit filed by Facebook, your license is revoked.

    Here's the relevant snippet.

    The license granted hereunder will terminate, automatically and without notice, if you (or any of your subsidiaries, corporate affiliates or agents) initiate directly or indirectly, or take a direct financial interest in, any Patent Assertion: (i) against Facebook or any of its subsidiaries or corporate affiliates, (ii) against any party if such Patent Assertion arises in whole or
    in part from any software, technology, product or service of Facebook or any of its subsidiaries or corporate affiliates, or (iii) against any party relating to the Software.
  • 2
    @configurator for the product you are claiming infringement against, not your personal or corpate entity licene. The license is based on a per product basis.

    You file suit for product A, product A's license is revoked, NOT B, C, D, E, F, etc.

    If you company only has 1 product, well then fuck, you are SOL.
  • 1
    "clause"
  • 1
    @RTRMS

    1. You don't claim infringement on a product, you do on a patent.
    2. That's not specified anywhere in the patents file, which is the one that gives you the license.

    The license is terminated if you or any of your subsidiaries or affiliates initiate *any* patent assertion.

    Anyone claiming there's any relation to which patent you're asserting or whether or not you have multiple products is sorely mistaken.
  • 1
    @configurator And the second part is actually pretty cool. If I understood it correctly it also means that nobody can make a Patent Assertion towards your React App if they themselves use React. Its even broader. You don't need to use React... you just need to use some technology or service (like graph API or facebook/instagram login) Facebook provides.

    I'm actually fine with all of this. Patent Assertions are almost always bad IMHO. Only case where I think Patent Assertion is valid is when someone else wants to claim your patent as their own.
  • 1
    @arekxv not exactly. If you make an assertion against someone using React (or a different technology using this license), you only lose your license if that assertion is directly related to their usage of React. The clause does not protect anyone except Facebook from patent lawsuits.
  • 1
    I was under the impression that LGPL had a similar clause anyway.
  • 1
    This is extremely relatable to me
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