Unfortunately, Sailfish OS uses a proprietary (closed source) android compatibility layer, as well as a closed source UI. They also have a CLA that contributers must sign. It’s the HA-CLA-I-ANY license, which specifically allows them a perpetual Copyright and Patent license, and to relicense your code contributions to sell or package into a closed-source proprietary app.
Personally I’d be more comfortable supporting the development of PostmarketOS instead, since it is completely open-source with no CLA, meaning no chance of any rug-pulling in the future.
Disclaimer: yes, SFOS is made by a (small) for-profit company. Always has been.
For the parts they have open-sourced, they implementrd a CLA that contributers must sign.
Just to clarify, this applies only to previously closed core components. Not app developers. But thanks for the info.
I love the constant comparison to PMOS, which has exactly 0 daily-driveable devices. SFOS has been usable since 2013, and honestly I don’t see a rug-pull coming up. Call me naive.
It’s a European company btw.
If you’re comfortable with it being a private company that has proprietary software and utilizes a CLA for its own components, then by all means, use them.
Personally I’m at a point where I distrust any essential software that isn’t GPL licensed, as that’s the only way to ensure that it’ll always be in the community’s hands. Otherwise, we’re just hedging that Sailfish won’t someday potentially be sold to a different larger publicly traded company, and utilize the potential lock-in factor that the proprietary parts of Sailfish and the CLA’d components bring.
PMOS is certainly not in a usable state for the average person yet, which is why I suggest people donate to it so it can become more polished and support more phones.
good linux phones can’t come soon enough
They are already here
they dont ship to the us. also the mobile-focused software is still early on linux, but as long as it is daily drivable I can handle that.
Unfortunately, Sailfish OS uses a proprietary (closed source) android compatibility layer, as well as a closed source UI. They also have a CLA that contributers must sign. It’s the HA-CLA-I-ANY license, which specifically allows them a perpetual Copyright and Patent license, and to relicense your code contributions to sell or package into a closed-source proprietary app.
Personally I’d be more comfortable supporting the development of PostmarketOS instead, since it is completely open-source with no CLA, meaning no chance of any rug-pulling in the future.
Disclaimer: yes, SFOS is made by a (small) for-profit company. Always has been.
Just to clarify, this applies only to previously closed core components. Not app developers. But thanks for the info.
I love the constant comparison to PMOS, which has exactly 0 daily-driveable devices. SFOS has been usable since 2013, and honestly I don’t see a rug-pull coming up. Call me naive.
It’s a European company btw.
If you’re comfortable with it being a private company that has proprietary software and utilizes a CLA for its own components, then by all means, use them.
Personally I’m at a point where I distrust any essential software that isn’t GPL licensed, as that’s the only way to ensure that it’ll always be in the community’s hands. Otherwise, we’re just hedging that Sailfish won’t someday potentially be sold to a different larger publicly traded company, and utilize the potential lock-in factor that the proprietary parts of Sailfish and the CLA’d components bring.
PMOS is certainly not in a usable state for the average person yet, which is why I suggest people donate to it so it can become more polished and support more phones.
Having a CLA like that just screams “Were going to monetize all of this one day” lol
Exactly, it’s like a corporate wolf in FLOSS clothing, and huge red flag.
For anyone reading this, donate to PostmarketOS if you can so we can escape google forever!