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:ID:       67faf52f-9126-50a7-b87e-2bedc610dac7
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#+title: Licensing — AGPLv3 + Commercial
#+filetags: :passepartout:ip:licensing:agpl:commercial:

**AGPLv3 for the public repository.** AGPL closes the ASP loophole: anyone who modifies the software and offers it over a network must release their modified source. Combined with a [[file:patent-strategy.org][patent strategy]], this creates [[file:moats.org][moats]] against proprietary forks.

Crucially: AGPL is a *product requirement*, not a concession. The system's value proposition is provable correctness — every decision has Merkle provenance. This claim is structurally incredible with closed source. An enterprise buyer needs to inspect the gate stack, verify the Merkle implementation, and confirm ACL2 integration. AGPL makes this possible without signing an NDA. This transparency also enables a [[file:pds-as-a-service.org][PDS as a service]] model where enterprises can run their own infrastructure.

**AGPL only covers modifications to code, not:**
- Gate rules specific to a domain (these are data, not code)
- The fact store (empirical data generated from usage)
- Ontology categories (design decisions stored as configuration)
- Proprietary skills loaded at runtime (AGPL boundary on plugin systems is legally unsettled)

**Dual license model:**
- AGPLv3 for open source — builds ecosystem, trust, community
- Commercial license for enterprises that cannot accept AGPL — MySQL/SugarCRM/GraphQL model