Fredoscale License -

Thus, the Fredoscale License introduces a dynamic cost structure: Part 2: The Core Tenets of the Fredoscale License Unlike binary licenses (free vs. proprietary), the Fredoscale License operates on a sliding scale. While multiple variants exist in the wild (v0.1 to v1.2), the following four pillars are consistent across most definitions. 1. The "Hobbyist Exemption" Under the Fredoscale License, any individual, non-commercial entity, or commercial entity earning less than a specific revenue threshold (commonly $1 million USD annually or less than 10 employees) may use the software free of charge. This includes modification, redistribution, and even sublicensing, provided the original license terms are maintained downstream. 2. The "Growth Trigger" Once an organization exceeds the defined threshold, the license automatically converts. The software is no longer free. The organization must negotiate a commercial license with the copyright holder. This trigger is typically based on gross annual revenue or user count, audited annually by the licensee. 3. The Fair Source Clause The Fredoscale License explicitly forbids the "Cloud Hostage" scenario. A large provider (e.g., a hypothetical "MegaHost") cannot take the Fredoscale-licensed code, run it as a managed service, and contribute nothing back. If a company offers the software as a service (SaaS) to paying customers, that company is considered to be "at scale," even if their internal revenue is low. 4. Vestigial Open Source Rights For those below the threshold, the code remains Open Source (OSD-compliant). For those above the threshold, the source code is still available (Source Available), but the rights to modify and run it in production are explicitly tied to a paid subscription. Part 3: How It Compares to Existing Licenses To appreciate the Fredoscale License, place it on the spectrum of existing legal instruments.

The key differentiator is . The BSL (used by companies like MariaDB and Sentry) converts from proprietary to open after a few years. The Fredoscale License never converts. It remains perpetually locked to the size of the user organization. Part 4: Potential Implementation (A Code Sample) A hypothetical FPL-1.0 (Fredoscale Public License) might include a header like this in the source code: Fredoscale License

/* FREDOSCALE PUBLIC LICENSE v1.0 * * This software is free to use, modify, and distribute for: * - Individuals * - Non-profits * - For-profit companies with Annual Gross Revenue < $1,000,000 USD * * If your company's AGR exceeds $1,000,000 USD, you must: * 1. Purchase a commercial license from the licensor. * 2. Display a "Powered by [Software]" attribution publicly. * * SaaS providers charging per-seat must license commercially regardless of revenue. */ Proponents of this license (often small dev tool startups or indie game engine creators) argue that it is the only sustainable model for modern open-core development. Thus, the Fredoscale License introduces a dynamic cost

Why should a startup of three people subsidize the infrastructure of a hyperscale cloud provider? Without the Fredoscale License

Without the Fredoscale License, a large cloud provider can take a free, permissive license, repackage a library, and sell it for $10,000/month, paying nothing to the original author.