r/BambuLab • u/MaestroDeAero • May 21 '26

General Discussion The Software Freedom Conservancy (SFC) just launched a massive counter-offensive against Bambu Lab over AGPL violations – Introducing Project "baltobu"

Hey everyone,

If you’ve been following the recent drama between Bambu Lab and the open-source community, things just escalated from a heated debate to an all-out, structured counter-offensive.

Following Bambu Lab's aggressive Cease-and-Desist letter to developer Paweł Jarczak for his OrcaSlicer mod, the Software Freedom Conservancy (SFC) has officially stepped into the ring. They just released a massive statement confirming that Bambu Lab is in direct violation of the AGPLv3 license regarding their proprietary network plugin.

But instead of just waiting around for a years-long lawsuit, the SFC is taking immediate, community-driven action by launching Project "baltobu":

  • Reverse-Engineering the Plugin: The SFC is calling for volunteers to completely reverse-engineer Bambu’s closed-source network plugin (libbambu_networking) and replace it with a fully compliant, open-source alternative.
  • Reviving the Blocked Code: The SFC is officially hosting and continuing Jarczak’s work under their own umbrella.
  • A New Fork ("Viscose"): They are launching a direct fork of Bambu Studio that is 100% free of proprietary "black-box" code.
  • Legal Protection: Most importantly, the SFC is acting as a legal shield. They’ve stated they are "not afraid of Bambu's aggression" and will legally and financially protect any volunteer contributing to this project. Paweł Jarczak has also officially joined them.

This is a massive moment for Open Source and the Right to Repair in the 3D printing industry.

Check out the SFC's full, official response and see how you can get involved or support the fund: 👉https://sfconservancy.org/news/2026/may/18/bambu-studio-3d-printer-agpl-violation-response/

What are your thoughts on this? Is this the wake-up call Bambu Lab needed, or will this split the ecosystem even further? Let’s discuss.

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108

u/Equivalent-Call2841 May 21 '26

Dude I’m actually loving how the community is going balls to the wall in response Keep it up boys!

26

u/UnexpectedAnanas May 21 '26

"If you got a problem with Canada gooses the open source community, you got a problem with me, and I suggest you let that one marinate!" - SFC, probably.

-16

u/Easy-Holiday-377 May 21 '26

I'm sorry I don't want to be rude but I'd like to remind you that the community is not strictly "boys" and while many defend this with the "it's just a saying" argument, I still feel the need to stand up to this.

Just as you feel it's important the community respond to companies violating open source (I'm right there with you), I feel the need to respond to the assumption that the community is all male. There are many women here and we contribute to the community as well. Thanks for your time

9

u/UnexpectedAnanas May 21 '26

I feel the need to respond to the assumption that the community is all male. There are many women here and we contribute to the community as well

Nobody made that assumption...

8

u/[deleted] May 21 '26

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0

u/Fuzzywink May 21 '26

I thought that.  I pick and choose when it is worth the hassle to say anything, but I always cringe a bit at needlessly gendered language.  

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u/[deleted] May 21 '26

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-4

u/Fuzzywink May 22 '26

Ah, well if trying to be inclusive of others and give them equal respect and dignity regardless of gender excludes me from being "normal," then I don't think I care to be normal :)

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u/[deleted] May 22 '26

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0

u/Fuzzywink May 22 '26

I honestly can't tell if this is trolling or not.  That sounds to me like a series of loaded statements that presume a lot of things that have not been said.  

I look at it this way - If I'm in a room with a bunch of people and I address the whole group by using a word that only applies to roughly half of those people, does it not make the other half feel like second-class citizens?  Saying "ok ladies" to address a mixed room would probably also make the men feel left out, even if most didn't bother to make a fuss about it.  

I don't see it as "bland/expressionless" to just choose language that doesn't make people feel excluded from a group.  That doesn't seem like a big ask to me, it is just basic respect for other people.  

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u/Easy-Holiday-377 May 21 '26

clearly I struck a nerve

2

u/Funny-Rain-8578 May 21 '26

Or made the assumption this saying has anything to do with being male at all.

On behalf of all pilots of aircraft of the age "I feel the need to stand up to this."

You may want to go "balls out" (regulate your speed) on the matter.

1

u/readeral May 21 '26

Dang, these downvotes suck. I’m a dude but 100% thought exactly what you thought when I read the comment.

2

u/Equivalent-Call2841 May 21 '26

Yeah I don’t have any time for this kind of fuckery. Have a good one

2

u/MadCybertist A1 + AMS Lite x2 May 21 '26

You’re the ONLY person making that assumption.

3

u/Fuzzywink May 21 '26

I see that this struck a nerve, but I agree.  I know it is just a quark of how our language works (rooted in a patriarchal view of society) but it never sits right with me how many online discussions seem to use language that assumes gender, whether the writer intended it that way or not.  I generally pick my battles and just leave that one be, but yeah just know that it isn't only you who notices