MariaDB Pledges Cure Period for Open Source Licenses

MariaDB is joining Red Hat, Facebook, Google, IBM, Microsoft, HPE and others to adopt a fair cure period to correct license compliance issues for GPLv2 software. Under GPLv2, the license governing MariaDB Server, violators of the license have no opportunity to correct a license violation. A cure period was added to GPLv3 to give users in violation of the license time to fix the violation. Today, we are taking a stand with other open source leaders to add this cure period to our software. That is, users in violation of the license will have time to fix their license violation.

We join the initiative for several reasons. Because we want to be friendly with our users. Because the GPLv3 cure period is tried and tested, and a good way to build confidence in the user base, knowing that users will be fairly treated. Because we believe Open Source deserve greater predictability.

Extending the initiative is good for the MariaDB community, because confidence in fair and just treatment of the user base is important for the adoption and community recognition of any GPLv2 software – MariaDB is no different here. We want to show our appreciation towards the industry consortium taking this simple but helpful step towards an even more fair and cooperative world of Open Source.

Our customers will also benefit. MariaDB Corporation is taking active measures to be a good corporate citizen in the community of Open Source developers. We want to show our support for a consortium that has found a way to eliminate a legal hurdle in the fair use of GPLv2 software. The Cure Period initiative gives both MariaDB users and our customers the confidence to innovate freely with open source by granting them these protections.

The Cure Pledge is a logical next step for MariaDB Corporation, as we have already taken an active role in developing licensing related to open source through our release of the Business Source License in 2017.  The Cure Period initiative specifically relates to GPLv2 software. However, we are immediately extending the same cure period to our BSL software, and once we update BSL with a new version, we will work the corresponding language into that version. In the meantime, our BSL customers do enjoy the same protection.

For the legal details, you can read our Cure Pledge.