The comment I responded to framed the situation as if GitLab took a look at the terms of the GraphQL spec, realized that it wasn't good for them, and made the above comments to explain why. The reality is, GitLab realized the current lack of FRAND-RF terms for GraphQL wasn't good for them, and they made the above comments only in response to somebody else's proposed solution to the current situation. That is, the comment doesn't explain why GitLab isn't using GraphQL right now, it explains why GitLab wouldn't use GraphQL if Facebook included the PATENTS grant. Which means that if someone is trying to understand the current situation or why GitLab originally halted GraphQL development, the comment I responded to isn't going to help anyone, because GraphQL is not and never has been subject to the terms of that grant.
If you're still not able to make sense of this, look no further than the first person account from the author of the Medium article referenced (who happens to be the same person who opened the issue):
> I've been a Facebook licensing defender for other OSS like React, but I think this is a completely different issue
