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The FSF just filed an Amicus Brief in long running Neo4j case

by acefaceZ on 3/4/25, 2:02 AM with 7 comments

• by acefaceZ on 3/5/25, 3:08 PM

  The case centers on who has the authority to interpret the terms of an open-source license:

  1.The software developers who adopt licenses like GPLv3, MIT, or Apache 2.0 for their projects

  OR

  2. The original authors of those licenses (FSF, Apache Foundation, etc)

  If the appeal fails to overturn the flawed lower court ruling, it will set a precedent allowing legal cases to focus on how software developers themselves interpret the terms of licenses like GPLv3, MIT,Apache 2.0, etc.

  This is precisely what happened with Neo4j.

  This issue is significant enough that two of the leading open-source foundations submitted amicus briefs in the case.

  I think Neo4j knows it is wrong after this latest Amicus and they have the power to stop this in its tracks by simply settling the case before the ninth circuit makes a ruling which will be precedent.

  Pretty crazy situation!

• by acefaceZ on 3/4/25, 2:02 AM

  It looks like the Free Software Foundation is not standing on the sidelines any longer and have called out Neo4j in the newly filed Amicus Brief filed February 28th, 2025.

  Many in the community are only just starting to realize the potential impact of this case on FOSS licensing