Why did Medsphere change the licensing for OpenVista Server?
We want to ensure interoperability with all versions of VistA, including versions that are licensed under GPL-incompatible licenses or even proprietary versions.  Licensing the foundation modules under the LGPL removes any legal barriers to collaboration on infrastructure required to exchange data and code.  Also, some members of the community requested that we make foundation modules such as FileMan available under the LGPL for use outside of VistA and health care.

What versions of OpenVista Server are affected by the license change?
OpenVista Server releases starting with OpenVista Server 1.5 Service Pack 2 are affected by the license change.

What components are affected by the license change?
Foundation modules including FileMan, Kernel, MailMan, HL7, and the RPC broker are now licensed under the LGPL; all other modules remain licensed under the AGPL.  For a full list of the licenses that various pieces of OpenVista Server use, see the LICENSES file.

I'm using an older version of OpenVista Server.  How does this license change affect me?
The LGPL has no additional restrictions above the previous AGPL license, so you are not affected by this license change.  The change to LGPL for some components of OpenVista Server is designed to allow developers of certain applications more flexibility in licensing.

I've developed an application against an older version of OpenVista Server.  How does this license change affect me?
If your application is a derivative work of OpenVista Server, it should have been licensed under the AGPL.  If your application uses any non-foundation modules, you must continue to license your application under the AGPL.  If your application uses only foundation modules, you can upgrade to the newer version of OpenVista Server and re-license your application using whatever license you wish, as allowed by the LGPL.  Note that any modifications you make to existing LGPL code must still be licensed under the LGPL.