[pauldix]

(Post author here) I think that was part of the goal with AGPL license, but it doesn't explicitly remove the possibility. My guess is that's one reason AWS hasn't offered hosted Mongo, despite the large community around the DB.

CockroachDB took an interesting two license approach with all code still out in the open: https://www.cockroachlabs.com/blog/how-were-building-a-busin...

Then there was MariaDB's recent closed, with a time bomb to open source later or the BSL (business source license): https://techcrunch.com/2016/08/19/mysql-founder-tries-a-new-...

Both seem like interesting approaches. Hard to tell what, if anything will get the most community and commercial moment behind it. I think that's the key: being able to foster a large community while being able to build a sustainable business around it. Ideally, one that can justify VC investment. If you're building a smaller business then your options definitely change.