I'm having a conversation about principles; and my principle is that there should be a path to redemption. When people screw up, instead of just knee-jerk piling on because we can, we should ask, "What would be a reasonable thing to expect them to do to make it right?"

> Whatever the path is - could even be paying or even hiring the original dev

Sure, this would be a strong action on the "making it right" direction.

> they haven't done ANYTHING in that direction.

This just isn't true. They said they said they were in the wrong. They changed the license, removing all traces of the illegal license. That's not nothing.

Yes, they also downplayed their mistake, which kind of undermines the "admit fault" step. Yes, they could have gone much further to make things right, by for instance hiring the original dev.

They could have done better, but they also could have done worse.