Element requiring a CLA has only 1 practical effect: Element are effectively saying that in their repo of Synapse/Dendrite, they won't integrate any copyleft code they can't relicense.
Other organisations could still choose to maintain a repo of Synapse/Dendrite that integrates any AGPL code, including all code released by Element.
That might be a better upstream than Element! — but it would take work. For it to happen, someone would need to do and/or fund that work.
Other organisations could still choose to maintain a repo of Synapse/Dendrite that integrates any AGPL code, including all code released by Element.
That might be a better upstream than Element! — but it would take work. For it to happen, someone would need to do and/or fund that work.