Opinion: Is a split imminent? – Synadia demands NATS back from the CNCF
a year ago
- #Open Source
- #Cloud Computing
- #Legal Dispute
- Synadia demands the return of NATS from CNCF, risking legal disputes or a fork similar to Terraform.
- CNCF is attempting to delete the NATS trademark, arguing Synadia relinquished all rights when NATS was handed over in 2018.
- Derek Collison, NATS's main maintainer and Synadia's CEO, seeks confrontation but risks further damage to his company.
- Synadia's lawyer demands the return of NATS repository and domain by April 10, citing lack of growth from CNCF efforts.
- Collison proposes transferring NATS to Business Source License (BSL), keeping it open-core but commercializing certain uses.
- CNCF rejects Synadia's demands, insists on its rights, and criticizes Synadia's non-transparent approach.
- CNCF offers to recruit new maintainers, highlighting its $100,000 investment in NATS, but NATS remains in 'Incubating' status.
- Trademark dispute complicates matters, with CNCF insisting on brand transfer per its statutes, while Synadia calls the demand 'vague.'
- Linux Foundation applies to cancel NATS trademark, while Collison reaffirms commitment to open source in a public statement.
- Collison risks a fork like OpenTofu, which could become a competitor, had he forked NATS from CNCF with his developers.