A hypothetical FPL-1.0 (Fredoscale Public License) might include a header like this in the source code:

/* FREDOSCALE PUBLIC LICENSE v1.0
 *
 * This software is free to use, modify, and distribute for:
 * - Individuals
 * - Non-profits
 * - For-profit companies with Annual Gross Revenue < $1,000,000 USD
 *
 * If your company's AGR exceeds $1,000,000 USD, you must:
 * 1. Purchase a commercial license from the licensor.
 * 2. Display a "Powered by [Software]" attribution publicly.
 *
 * SaaS providers charging per-seat must license commercially regardless of revenue.
 */

To understand the license, one must understand its namesake. The term "Fredoscale" is a portmanteau, likely derived from a theoretical figure—"Fredo"—representing the "small developer" or "hobbyist," combined with "scale," referring to growth and multiplication.

The core problem the Fredoscale License attempts to solve is the "Scale Penalty." Under traditional open-source licenses, a solo developer and a multi-billion-dollar SaaS company enjoy the same rights to use, modify, and redistribute a piece of free software. The Fredoscale License posits that this is an unfair equilibrium.

The driving question: Why should a startup of three people subsidize the infrastructure of a hyperscale cloud provider?

Thus, the Fredoscale License introduces a dynamic cost structure: Free for small scale, paid at scale.

To appreciate the Fredoscale License, place it on the spectrum of existing legal instruments.

| Feature | MIT License | GPL v3 | Business Source License (BSL) | Fredoscale License | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Cost for Hobbyist | Free | Free | Free (often with time delay) | Free | | Cost for FAANG | Free | Free | Paid after X years | Paid immediately | | Copyleft | No | Yes | No | Hybrid | | Cloud Hosting Allowed | Yes | No (AGPL) | No | Conditionally (Paid) | | Complexity | Low | Medium | High | Very High |

The key differentiator is temporal vs. quantitative scaling. The BSL (used by companies like MariaDB and Sentry) converts from proprietary to open after a few years. The Fredoscale License never converts. It remains perpetually locked to the size of the user organization.

This License is effective until terminated. Your rights under this License will terminate automatically without notice from the LICENSOR if you fail to comply with any of its terms. Upon termination, You must destroy all copies of the Software in Your possession.

The Fredoscale License is a permissive open-source-style license created to govern the use, modification, and distribution of the Fredoscale project and related software artifacts. It aims to balance reuse and community contribution with simple, developer-friendly terms: allow broad freedom to use and modify, require minimal attribution, and include a limited liability and warranty disclaimer.

You may NOT:

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Fredoscale License

Fredoscale License -

A hypothetical FPL-1.0 (Fredoscale Public License) might include a header like this in the source code:

/* FREDOSCALE PUBLIC LICENSE v1.0
 *
 * This software is free to use, modify, and distribute for:
 * - Individuals
 * - Non-profits
 * - For-profit companies with Annual Gross Revenue < $1,000,000 USD
 *
 * If your company's AGR exceeds $1,000,000 USD, you must:
 * 1. Purchase a commercial license from the licensor.
 * 2. Display a "Powered by [Software]" attribution publicly.
 *
 * SaaS providers charging per-seat must license commercially regardless of revenue.
 */

To understand the license, one must understand its namesake. The term "Fredoscale" is a portmanteau, likely derived from a theoretical figure—"Fredo"—representing the "small developer" or "hobbyist," combined with "scale," referring to growth and multiplication.

The core problem the Fredoscale License attempts to solve is the "Scale Penalty." Under traditional open-source licenses, a solo developer and a multi-billion-dollar SaaS company enjoy the same rights to use, modify, and redistribute a piece of free software. The Fredoscale License posits that this is an unfair equilibrium. Fredoscale License

The driving question: Why should a startup of three people subsidize the infrastructure of a hyperscale cloud provider?

Thus, the Fredoscale License introduces a dynamic cost structure: Free for small scale, paid at scale. A hypothetical FPL-1

To appreciate the Fredoscale License, place it on the spectrum of existing legal instruments.

| Feature | MIT License | GPL v3 | Business Source License (BSL) | Fredoscale License | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Cost for Hobbyist | Free | Free | Free (often with time delay) | Free | | Cost for FAANG | Free | Free | Paid after X years | Paid immediately | | Copyleft | No | Yes | No | Hybrid | | Cloud Hosting Allowed | Yes | No (AGPL) | No | Conditionally (Paid) | | Complexity | Low | Medium | High | Very High | To understand the license, one must understand its namesake

The key differentiator is temporal vs. quantitative scaling. The BSL (used by companies like MariaDB and Sentry) converts from proprietary to open after a few years. The Fredoscale License never converts. It remains perpetually locked to the size of the user organization.

This License is effective until terminated. Your rights under this License will terminate automatically without notice from the LICENSOR if you fail to comply with any of its terms. Upon termination, You must destroy all copies of the Software in Your possession.

The Fredoscale License is a permissive open-source-style license created to govern the use, modification, and distribution of the Fredoscale project and related software artifacts. It aims to balance reuse and community contribution with simple, developer-friendly terms: allow broad freedom to use and modify, require minimal attribution, and include a limited liability and warranty disclaimer.

You may NOT: