MPL 1.1
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| MPL 1.1 | |
|---|---|
| Name | MPL 1.1 |
| Author | Mozilla Foundation |
| Introduced | 1998 |
| Latest | 1.1 |
| Copyleft | Weak copyleft |
MPL 1.1 is a software license created by the Mozilla Foundation to balance proprietary and open-source distribution, permitting mixed-source projects while preserving rights for individual files. It was used by prominent projects to combine Netscape Communications Corporation-originated code with third-party contributions and influenced later licensing efforts by foundations and corporations. The license emphasizes file-level copyleft, contributor rights, and patent provisions.
Background and Purpose
MPL 1.1 was authored by the Mozilla Foundation and released during the era of legal harmonization among projects such as Netscape Communications Corporation, Apache Software Foundation, and Free Software Foundation. It aimed to provide an alternative to GNU General Public License and Berkeley Software Distribution-style terms, drawing attention from entities like Sun Microsystems, Microsoft, IBM, and Red Hat. The purpose was to enable reuse in contexts involving Proprietary software vendors and collaborative efforts among institutions like University of California, Berkeley and MIT.
Key Provisions and Terms
MPL 1.1 requires that source code modifications to covered files remain under the same terms when distributed, similar to approaches taken by Eclipse Foundation agreements and contrasted with the reach of the GNU Lesser General Public License. It defines "Covered Code", contributor obligations, and patent licensing clauses discussed at meetings with representatives from Open Source Initiative and legal advisors from firms that worked with Oracle Corporation. The license addresses distribution of executables, attribution notices, and compatibility with contributor agreements used by organizations such as Mozilla Corporation and Netscape Communications Corporation.
Compatibility and Interactions with Other Licenses
MPL 1.1's file-level copyleft allows relicensing combinations with permissive licenses like the MIT License and BSD License but creates complexity with strong copyleft terms such as the GNU General Public License. Interactions were debated in contexts involving dual-licensing strategies used by companies like MySQL AB and foundations like the Apache Software Foundation. Legal practitioners comparing Affero General Public License and MPL 1.1 often weighed implications for distributions incorporating code from projects like LibreOffice or OpenOffice.org.
Adoption, Use Cases, and Notable Projects
Projects that adopted MPL 1.1 included codebases managed by the Mozilla Foundation such as Mozilla Firefox, and components later used by corporations including Google and Apple Inc. in various engineering collaborations. Institutional users ranged from research labs at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to startups that leveraged mixed licensing akin to approaches by Netscape Communications Corporation and Sun Microsystems. Notable use cases involved web technologies and networking stacks shared across projects affiliated with W3C and IETF working groups.
Legal Interpretations and Case Law
MPL 1.1 spawned commentary by legal scholars at institutions like Harvard Law School and Stanford Law School, and analysis by practitioners formerly with Fenwick & West and DLA Piper. While it saw fewer direct litigations than GNU General Public License-related disputes such as those involving BusyBox or SCO Group, courts and arbitration panels referenced MPL-like provisions in matters concerning contributor license agreements and patent covenants with parties like Novell and Microsoft. Interpretations often cited precedents from cases involving Oracle America, Inc. v. Google, Inc. and other software IP disputes when assessing distribution and derivative work definitions.
Revision History and Relationship to MPL 2.0
MPL 1.1 was succeeded by a community-driven revision process resulting in MPL 2.0, with contributions from organizations including Mozilla Foundation, Open Source Initiative, Eclipse Foundation, and companies such as Red Hat and IBM. The revision addressed compatibility, patent language, and clarity on combined works to better align MPL 2.0 with practices observed at Apache Software Foundation and in corporate policies at Google and Microsoft. MPL 2.0 introduced terms facilitating interoperability with the GNU General Public License under specified conditions and streamlined provisions that were sources of debate during the MPL 1.1 era.