And as a result free software was released to the world which everyone can freely use and modify under the AGPLv3 terms. And unlike permissive open source licenses, only the copyright owners have the right to sell proprietary versions. They maximized freedom and secured a business model in one fell swoop. People are only required to transfer copyright if they want to upstream their code, they can always keep their copyrights by maintaining a fork instead.
It's pretty much perfect. Stallman himself suggests selling exceptions to the GPL as a viable business model for companies, Qt being the number one example. I actually emailed Stallman and asked what he thought about this new AGPLv3 SaaS pattern, here's his reply:
> It is my understanding that as the copyright holders
> they have the right to do it without any problems.
> They leverage the AGPLv3 to make it harder for their
> competitors to use the code to compete against them.
I see what you mean. The original developer can engage
in a practice that blocks coopertation.
By contrast, using some other license, such as the ordinary GPL,
would permitt ANY user of the program to engage in that practice.
In a perverse sense that could seem more fair, but I think it is
also more harmful.
On balance, using the AGPL is better.
It's pretty much perfect. Stallman himself suggests selling exceptions to the GPL as a viable business model for companies, Qt being the number one example. I actually emailed Stallman and asked what he thought about this new AGPLv3 SaaS pattern, here's his reply: