Meta / Linux Research -- Correlation Timeline

Facebook introduces BSD+Patents license for React: Facebook releases React under a BSD license with an additional 'PATENTS' file granting a patent license that is automatically revoked if the user sues Facebook for patent infringement. This is the 'BSD+Patents' license model. [source]

Apache Software Foundation bans BSD+Patents license: The Apache Software Foundation adds Facebook's BSD+Patents license to its Category-X list, effectively banning its use in Apache projects. ASF declares the patent retaliation clause incompatible with the Apache License. This forces major projects to reconsider their React dependencies. [source]

WordPress announces move away from React: WordPress co-founder Matt Mullenweg announces that WordPress will stop using React due to the BSD+Patents license. Given WordPress's market share, this is a significant blow to React's adoption trajectory. [source]

Facebook relicenses React to MIT: After sustained community backlash and the WordPress departure, Facebook relicenses React (and Jest, Flow, Immutable.js) from BSD+Patents to the MIT license. Engineering VP Sophie Alpert announces the change. This represents a capitulation to community pressure and sets a precedent for Facebook's li [source]

Facebook releases PyTorch under modified BSD license: PyTorch is released under a standard BSD-3-Clause license without the patent rider, reflecting lessons learned from the React controversy. This positions PyTorch for broad adoption in the AI/ML community without licensing friction. [source]

Presto Foundation established under the Linux Foundation with Meta (Facebook) as founding member. [source]

Patent US11119931B1: Data pipeline for microkernel operating system (expired) [source]

GraphQL Foundation established under the Linux Foundation, stewarding the Meta-created GraphQL specification. [source]

Patent US20210286628A1: Operating System With A Single Kernel Stack Per Processor (abandoned) [source]

Meta donates PyTorch to the Linux Foundation, establishing the PyTorch Foundation as an LF project. Meta retains significant governance role in the new foundation. [source]

Roman Gushchin: Meta -> Google (cgroups/memory contributor)

Kirill Shutemov: Intel -> Meta (memory management developer)

Meta releases Llama 2 with custom 'open' license: Meta releases Llama 2 under a custom license that allows free use and redistribution but includes restrictions: commercial users with >700M monthly active users must obtain a separate license from Meta. The license is not OSI-approved and has been criticised as 'open-washing' -- marketing proprietar [source]

Josef Bacik: Meta -> Anthropic (Btrfs maintainer)

Meta releases Llama 3 with updated custom license: Meta releases Llama 3 under an updated community license that maintains the 700M MAU commercial threshold and adds acceptable use restrictions prohibiting certain applications. The license continues to be criticised as 'source available' rather than truly open source. Meta brands it as 'open' while [source]

Llama 3.1 release maintains restrictive license: Meta releases Llama 3.1 (405B, 70B, 8B) under the same custom community license. Despite being marketed as the largest 'open' model release, the license remains non-OSI-compliant. The Open Source Initiative continues to object to Meta's use of 'open' terminology for models with usage and commercial [source]

Industry discussion: potential closed-weights pivot: Industry analysts and open-source advocates discuss the possibility that Meta may further restrict model weights in future releases, moving from 'available weights' to fully closed or API-only access. Drivers include competitive pressure from OpenAI/Google, safety concerns, and potential regulatory [source]

[Phoronix] There's Hope That At Least Colorado's Age Attestation Bill Could Exclude Open-Source [source]

OpenXR extension audit completed: Meta has 76 of 265 extensions (28.7% of total) [source]