Project open webui , developing a platform for the deployment of large language models on their equipment and interacting with them through the web interface, moved to the limiting license prohibiting renaming. Initially, the project was delivered under the BSD-3 license, but starting with the release 0.6.6 limiting changes were added to the license text. In addition, the project introduced a mandatory signing of an agreement on the transfer of property rights for participants from communities who want to transfer their changes.
When installing or distributing copies of Open Webui, the user is now obliged to maintain the initial elements of the brand, name and logo. The exception was made only for developers who have sent changes before a license change, owners of a commercial license and attitudes, with which less than 50 users are interacting. Such conditions do not correspond to criteria open license of OSI, so the project can now be considered as a proprietary one, despite the word “Open” in its name. The code released to version 0.6.6 remains under the BSD license.
At the same time, the developers of Open Webui do not think that the change has made the project proofing. The requirement to preserve the brand is presented as a copy-like protection, aimed at combating abuse and dishonest suppliers, presenting someone else’s work for their product. Otherwise, the project retains all the possibilities provided by the BSD license, such as the possibility of distribution, modification and creation of forks. When creating an fork or its own edition, based on the code base after version 0.6.6, it is required to save the brand elements and indicate that the product is an unofficial branch. The mention of Open Webui should be obvious and visible. Applications are prohibited that the third -party edition is developing with the approval of the Open Webui project or with its participation.
It is noted that the reason for changing the license was abuse by some consumers who simply removed the mention of the code of the code with the Open Webui project, issued a result for new development and tried to sell as their own product. Also, intermediaries parasitizing on the project were formed around the project, who mislead users and promote their assemblies as the official editions of Open Webui, accompanied by the developers of the original project. In case of problems, the creators of such modifications shift the work on support and development to the main project, without making a contribution to the common cause and without participating in the development.