Bukkit/Spigot got DMCA'd

[Towelie]

tl;dr -> Bukkit and Spigot got DMCA'd because an old Contributor of Bukkit (Wolvereness) has filed a DMCA as mojang is using his code and violating his GPL license because Minecraft is not GPL software

Non tl;dr:
Key points to start off:

    First: Wolvereness is not a part of the section of the Bukkit team which was hired by Mojang.
    Mojang have claimed that the GPL license used by CraftBukkit is invalid due to the distribution of Minecraft server files with CraftBukkit.
    Wolvereness has claimed that Mojang are violating copyright over code he authored in CraftBukkit as he committed it under GPL [EDIT: It seems his claim is largely about him not being notified of Mojang's ownership of Bukkit despite him already being a contributor].
    He has therefore submitted a DMCA takedown on CraftBukkit's downloads.
    If Wolvereness' takedown is deemed valid (there are bad consequences if it isn't), then Mojang will need to do one of the following things:
        Remove all of Wolvereness' code.
        OR not use CraftBukkit and update it at all.
        OR pay / otherwise convince him to withdraw it.
    The problem with this is that his code is rather crucial to the project - he has authored the 3rd most contributions out of anyone.

There are some complexities to the current situation, these being:

    Nobody is 100% sure whether the DMCA is really valid or not - however we can assume Wolvereness is very confident because there are heavy consequences for submitting an invalid one.
    Mojang are not allowed to release an updated Bukkit without making the source public.
    Nobody can download CraftBukkit [EDIT: Bukkit repo is now down too] until it is resolved.
    Even if Wolvereness' code is removed ANYONE else who has a single commit to CraftBukkit can submit a similar DMCA.
    It is also unlikely that Mojang will even try to update Bukkit before the DMCA's are entirely sorted out.

lukegb has now made some comments (from irc.esper.net #bukkitdev):

    <lukegb> Brianetta: because I can only take down entire repos
    <lukegb> I am working on getting the non-infringing parts of the repo back asap

Would indicate that Bukkit maven repo is coming back up (note: not CraftBukkit afaik)

If anyone has something they think is wrong in this post or they want me to add something, tell me. If @jflory7 would like to make a new Drama thread for this with this post as the OP I would be appreciative - I feel this can help people understand better as not many people do.


What this means for SFT:
We don't know yet. Too early to call.
Worst case scenario: No more bukkit updates.
Best case scenario: Mojang settles in court and pays the guy. Since Mojang is directly affected here.

What I think: I have no f*** idea to be honest. Whatever it is it's gonna be interesting to watch.

[Towelie]

Note: There is some irony in this post, (mostly the doomsday tone I am using) but I am genuinely concerned, sadly I am just a bystander to this show.

[Towelie]

Even more tl;dr version:
(credits to dpa for finding pic)

[Xerxers1]

Well this officially sucks. Drama upon drama upon drama. I am just interested to see how this will turn out, and if it will affect us in the end.

[Bade_Anthony]

Even more tl;dr version:
(credits to dpa for finding pic)

Lol that pic is awesome, still sucks about bukkit and Spigot though

[nyllekFTW]

Well, shit.

[Jyncs]

I'm conflicted.

On one side, I see this as a way that they can give a big FU to Mojang for the EULA and essentially damaging servers like ours(you know, where the donations are actually put back into the server and community rather than fill someones pocket for their own needs). They used the EULA as a blanket to cover everything rather than going after the individual servers that were doing wrong.

On the other side, until someone comes out with a better server mod solution that works with the new api better this could hurt a lot of servers who will be stuck without new updates.

[Eternal_Jamie]

Does this mean we won't be able to update to 1.8 or is the craft bukkit/spigot already updated for it and you've downloaded the necessary files (until it's resolved ofc)?

[krankenstein20]

tl;dr -> Bukkit and Spigot got DMCA'd because an old Contributor of Bukkit (Wolvereness) has filed a DMCA as mojang is using his code and violating his GPL license because Minecraft is not GPL software

Non tl;dr:
Key points to start off:

    First: Wolvereness is not a part of the section of the Bukkit team which was hired by Mojang.
    Mojang have claimed that the GPL license used by CraftBukkit is invalid due to the distribution of Minecraft server files with CraftBukkit.
    Wolvereness has claimed that Mojang are violating copyright over code he authored in CraftBukkit as he committed it under GPL [EDIT: It seems his claim is largely about him not being notified of Mojang's ownership of Bukkit despite him already being a contributor].
    He has therefore submitted a DMCA takedown on CraftBukkit's downloads.
    If Wolvereness' takedown is deemed valid (there are bad consequences if it isn't), then Mojang will need to do one of the following things:
        Remove all of Wolvereness' code.
        OR not use CraftBukkit and update it at all.
        OR pay / otherwise convince him to withdraw it.
    The problem with this is that his code is rather crucial to the project - he has authored the 3rd most contributions out of anyone.

There are some complexities to the current situation, these being:

    Nobody is 100% sure whether the DMCA is really valid or not - however we can assume Wolvereness is very confident because there are heavy consequences for submitting an invalid one.
    Mojang are not allowed to release an updated Bukkit without making the source public.
    Nobody can download CraftBukkit [EDIT: Bukkit repo is now down too] until it is resolved.
    Even if Wolvereness' code is removed ANYONE else who has a single commit to CraftBukkit can submit a similar DMCA.
    It is also unlikely that Mojang will even try to update Bukkit before the DMCA's are entirely sorted out.

lukegb has now made some comments (from irc.esper.net #bukkitdev):

    <lukegb> Brianetta: because I can only take down entire repos
    <lukegb> I am working on getting the non-infringing parts of the repo back asap

Would indicate that Bukkit maven repo is coming back up (note: not CraftBukkit afaik)

If anyone has something they think is wrong in this post or they want me to add something, tell me. If @jflory7 would like to make a new Drama thread for this with this post as the OP I would be appreciative - I feel this can help people understand better as not many people do.


What this means for SFT:
We don't know yet. Too early to call.
Worst case scenario: No more bukkit updates.
Best case scenario: Mojang settles in court and pays the guy. Since Mojang is directly affected here.

What I think: I have no f*** idea to be honest. Whatever it is it's gonna be interesting to watch.

this means s*** to me explain it in 1 sentance in normal people language that didnt make sense to me

[Dpa1991]

Bukkits dead, spigot threw in the towel and gave up and Cauldron production was halted indefinitely it seems. Theres pretty much zero hope for bukkit to progress any further than 1.7.10 unless Mojang makes the server open source (which wont happen) or if all of wolves code is removed from bukkit, which would also kill bukkit. I heard that would send bukkit back to roughly 1.2 MC

Pretty much right now theres not much hope for this to get any better, as far as I can tell plugin authors are looking to moving over to Forge so plugins will become Mods -- which isnt really good at all short term, but giving time to adjust we could do fine, assuming we last long enough.

[BattleAxium]

Bukkits dead, spigot threw in the towel and gave up and Cauldron production was halted indefinitely it seems. Theres pretty much zero hope for bukkit to progress any further than 1.7.10 unless Mojang makes the server open source (which wont happen) or if all of wolves code is removed from bukkit, which would also kill bukkit. I heard that would send bukkit back to roughly 1.2 MC

Pretty much right now theres not much hope for this to get any better, as far as I can tell plugin authors are looking to moving over to Forge so plugins will become Mods -- which isnt really good at all short term, but giving time to adjust we could do fine, assuming we last long enough.

Just to further update on this situation, the COO (Chief Operating Officer) at Mojang posted on the Bukkit Forums:
http://forums.bukkit.org/threads/mojang-and-the-bukkit-project.309715/

[Towelie]

Bukkits dead, spigot threw in the towel and gave up and Cauldron production was halted indefinitely it seems. Theres pretty much zero hope for bukkit to progress any further than 1.7.10 unless Mojang makes the server open source (which wont happen) or if all of wolves code is removed from bukkit, which would also kill bukkit. I heard that would send bukkit back to roughly 1.2 MC

Pretty much right now theres not much hope for this to get any better, as far as I can tell plugin authors are looking to moving over to Forge so plugins will become Mods -- which isnt really good at all short term, but giving time to adjust we could do fine, assuming we last long enough.

Just to further update on this situation, the COO (Chief Operating Officer) at Mojang posted on the Bukkit Forums:
http://forums.bukkit.org/threads/mojang-and-the-bukkit-project.309715/

Sadly that posting just shows mojang's position which is to play dead.

[krankenstein20]

Bukkits dead, spigot threw in the towel and gave up and Cauldron production was halted indefinitely it seems. Theres pretty much zero hope for bukkit to progress any further than 1.7.10 unless Mojang makes the server open source (which wont happen) or if all of wolves code is removed from bukkit, which would also kill bukkit. I heard that would send bukkit back to roughly 1.2 MC

Pretty much right now theres not much hope for this to get any better, as far as I can tell plugin authors are looking to moving over to Forge so plugins will become Mods -- which isnt really good at all short term, but giving time to adjust we could do fine, assuming we last long enough.

thx for clearing that up