open source and the internet of things
DESCRIPTION
Simon Phipps, President, Open Source Initiative Open source is not about free stuff. It's a way of granting permission in advance so that innovation can happen without obstruction and so loose-knit communities can collaborate freely. As such, it's more important than ever in an age of APIs, devices and distributed web infrastructure. This session will: Explain the dynamics of open source licensing Consider the relative merits of licensing "strengths" for IoT Discuss the challenges of software patents to APIs and open collaboration.TRANSCRIPT
Open Source & IoT
In which we consider how open source lubricates & enables IoT & the API
economy
Simon Phipps, [email protected] · http://meshedinsights.com
September 24, 2014 for APICon, London
About Me
● Technical background: electronics, programming
● Worked for three computer giants (Unisys, IBM, Sun)
● Watched & helped history unfold for PCs, the Web, Java, XML, Open Source
● British, US-based for 15 years while living in England
● Now a consultant and author at InfoWorld● Boards: OSI (president), ORG, OSfA -- all pro
bono
o @webmink in most placeso Nexus is http://webmink.com
Open Source Is Everywhere
Origins
Use
Study
Improve
Share
In The Age Of Cloud Computing, Does
Anyone Care?
Yes!
Without A PermissionlessModel Cloud Scaling Is Impossible!
Changing Meaning of Business
Direct Trading
Distribution & Control Points
Meshed Engagement
FundCreateDeliver
Use
Use
Use
Use
Use
Use
“A corporation doesn't love you or hate you. Its like a lawnmower. Put your hand in, it gets cut off. It doesn't hate you, its just a lawnmower; it cuts everything.”
– B. Cantrill
Create
Create
Use
Adapt
Use
Adapt
Use
Fund
Fund
Study
Use
Use
Industrial Society Required Arbitration Of Ownership Of Natural
Control Points
&
Innovation in a Meshed Society
What Is A Community?
Koan of Contribution
Altruism Without SacrificeKoan of Copyright
Possession Without PermissionKoan of the Commons
Order Without Control
Open Source Licenses Unlock
Communities Of Use
Open Source Definition
1. Free Redistribution
2. Source Code Available
3. Derived Works Allowed
4. Integrity of The Author's Source Code
5. No Discrimination Against Persons or Groups
6. No Discrimination Against Fields of Use
7. Redistribution Maintains All Rights
8. License Must Not Be Specific to a Product
9. License Must Not Restrict Other Software
10. License Must Be Technology-Neutral
Permissionless
Flexibility
Freedom To Leave
"Licenses are constitutions for communities"
Eben Moglen
Rights Only
Project-Scope
Copyleft
File-Scope Copyleft
BA C
Rights-Only Licenses
● Clauses concerning:o Attribution o Trademarko Patents
● No requirement to provide source
BSDMIT
Apache
A
File-Scope Copyleft
● Clauses concerning:o Attribution o Trademarko Patents
● Conditioned on providing source
● Scope of trigger for source requirement is any file
● Scope of requirement is the file you changed
MPLv2CDDL
EPL
B
File-Scope Copyleft
● Clauses concerning:o Attribution o Trademarko Patents
● Conditioned on providing source
● Trigger is binary distribution
● Provide full source corresponding to distributed binary
GPLv3AGPLEUPL
C
Special Case: LGPL
● LGPL is class C, not class B
● Scope of "binary" is restricted at a "library" boundary limiting what source must be published
● Still project copyleft though
● Beware especially code reuse
LGPLv2LGPLv3
Software PatentsModern licenses include patent defences
Patent Threat Pyramid Patents Threatenin
g Your Software
Not To Scale
Defences Exist!
Remember, the goal is increased confidence, not perfect elimination of the threat (that’s impossible)
Patent Defences Pyramid
Patents Threatenin
g Your Software
Open Source License
Scorched Earth(Defensive Filing)
Open Standards
OIN Patent Pool
Not To Scale
Defence Via Open Source License
● Your open source license matters
● Modern licenses include patent peaceo Example: Apache Licenseo Also GPLv3, MPLv2
● Use these licenses!
● Patent peace means aggressors lose their licenses
● Ineffective against trolls
Apache License Patent Clause3. Grant of Patent License. Subject to the terms and conditions of this License, each Contributor hereby grants to You a perpetual, worldwide, non-exclusive, no-charge, royalty-free, irrevocable (except as stated in this section) patent license to make, have made, use, offer to sell, sell, import, and otherwise transfer the Work, where such license applies only to those patent claims licensable by such Contributor that are necessarily infringed by their Contribution(s) alone or by combination of their Contribution(s) with the Work to
which such Contribution(s) was submitted. If You institute patent litigation against any entity (including a cross-claim or counterclaim in a lawsuit) alleging that the Work or a Contribution incorporated within the Work constitutes direct or contributory patent infringement, then any patent licenses granted to You under this License for that Work shall terminate as of the date such litigation is filed.
Use Modern Open Source Licenses
● Old licenses have no explicit patent treatmento Example: BSD
● Possible implied license inadequate for certainty
● New use of BSD etc may signal reservation of right to sue
Summary
● IoT & API Economy need open source more than ever
● Communities of use depend on elimination of permission-seeking
● Freely licensing rights is the key enabler
● Open source licenses are proven & understood & need no research
● Modern licenses protect as well as enable
● Open source gives API consumers the freedom to leave so the confidence to stay
The API Economy Needs
Open Source FlexibilityDon’t Deploy Without It!
Simon Phipps
[email protected]://meshedinsights.com
Open Source Management Consulting
This presentation is the opinion of the presenter. It is not intended to offer legal advice, nor does it represent the views of any entity including OSI and the clients of Meshed Insights Ltd.(c) 2013-14 Meshed Insights Ltd · Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution Share-Alike Unported v3.0