MongoDB switches from AGPLv3 to SSPL

With SaaS companies making even bigger profits of open source software without contributing back to the community, the MongoDB project decided to change the license of their source code from 16. October onwards. The main difference between the APGLv3 and the SSPL is that the later requires anyone offering the software to a third party to also open source all their management interfaces, backup scripts and so on. The full text reads as follows:

If you make the functionality of the Program or a modified version available to third parties as a service, you must make the Service Source Code available via network download to everyone at no charge, under the terms of this License.

“Service Source Code” means the Corresponding Source for the Program or the modified version, and the Corresponding Source for all programs that you use to make the Program or modified version available as a service, including, without limitation, management software, user interfaces, application program interfaces, automation software, monitoring software, backup software, storage software and hosting software, all such that a user could run an instance of the service using the Service Source Code you make available.”