Author | MongoDB Inc. |
---|---|
Published | 16 October 2018 |
SPDX identifier | SSPL-1.0 |
Debian FSG compatible | No |
FSF approved | No |
OSI approved | No |
GPL compatible | No[1] |
Copyleft | Yes |
Website | www |
The Server Side Public License (SSPL) is a source-available copyleft software license introduced by MongoDB Inc. in 2018.[2][3]
It includes most of the text and provisions of the GNU Affero General Public License version 3 (AGPL v3),[4] but modifies its provisions for software that is conveyed over a network—requiring that anyone who offers the functionality of SSPL-licensed software to third-parties as a service must release the entirety of their source code, including all software, APIs, and other software that would be required for a user to run an instance of the service themselves, under the SSPL. In contrast, the AGPL v3's equivalent provision covers only the licensed work itself.
The SSPL is not recognized as free software by the Open Source Initiative (OSI), Red Hat,[5] and Debian[6] as the aforementioned provision is discriminatory towards specific fields of use.[3][7] Specifically, this is discriminatory against users of the software that use proprietary software within their stack, as the license requires the open-sourcing of every part interacting with the service, which under these circumstances might not be possible. This is in violation of Points 6[8] and 9[9] of the Open Source Definition as used by the Open Source Initiative.
However, the SSPL is clearly not in the sprit of the DFSG, yet alone complimentary to the Debian's goals of promoting software or user freedom. In light of this, the Project does not consider that software licensed under the SSPL to be suitable for inclusion in the Debian archive.
:2
was invoked but never defined (see the help page).Section 13 is very obviously intended to be a restriction against the field of endeavor of offering the software as a service, and thus not in compliance with OSD #6.
it doesn't appear that you've addressed the main problem with the license, which is that it attempts to encumber entirely separate programs which are simply used together with the licensed program.